Kick the Tires and Light the Fires
by Gasaway Alley
Summary: Edward Cullen, vampire race-car driver with one hell of a past, present, and future, meets Isabella Swan, human race-car driver with very little common sense who is plagued by a few supernatural secrets of her own.
1. Kick the Tires and Light the Fires

All publicly recognized characters are the sole and separate property of their respective owners and franchises.

This, however, is all my ridiculous doings.

Thank you **EJ Santry** for your incredible beta skills and friendship - She was the vessel which helped carry me across the river from the land of non-writer to the shores of verbal enlightenment.

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**Kick the Tires and Light the Fires**

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**===Edward===**

Colorful kaleidoscopes of race-cars blew by the rabid racing fans at maddening speeds. The massive throngs in the stands could feel the chest-caving thunder, and hear the drum-splitting screams of the engines as we all rounded the turns in the track.

What they could feel and hear was nothing compared to what I did with 358 cubic-inches of monster engine in front of me. My heightened senses registered the hellacious sounds of the hungry engine as well as the fanatical cheers of the crowd. I wore noise-canceling earplugs to try and tone them all out. The fans wore them as well, or listened in with their headphones to the radio conversations between the drivers and the pit crews with their Track Scanners. They could listen to all but ours.

We kept our radio frequency off the radar because our conversations were bizarre to say the least. Even though I could read Alice's thoughts, I still had to keep in touch with Jasper, my pit chief. We couldn't have the crowds listening to me give Jasper warnings about oncoming accidents, or how I knew exactly when or where I was going to pass the next car. Alice was my spotter for all intents and purposes. She could _'see'_ ahead in her visions to give me the advantage I needed to stay out of collisions with the drivers. The less attention I drew to us, the better.

Being that we were vampires more than 100 years old, this was one of the biggest thrills for us in our existence. My _Dad, Mom, and four siblings_ decided to take up racing a few years ago. We had been following the sport since 1949 and decided we were ready to try it out. Now we were addicts.

We didn't do it for the glory. We did it for the thrill of the chase. Our kind couldn't afford to draw too much attention to ourselves. Since we didn't hunt humans, this was the closest thing we could get to feeling it. It helped to ease the demon by chasing them in circles. Racing was just a full-on sensory overload with the speed and the pursuit.

Right now the inside cab of the car was a balmy 140 degrees adding more to the senses. It didn't make me uncomfortable. In fact the overwhelming warmth for most humans only warmed up my snowy body temperature and I reveled in it. It's not like I could break a sweat.

A alarm sounded and I did a swift check of my now low fuel gauge. "I need to come in, Jasper"

"Yeah, I can see that," Jasper agreed. "Bring her in low and watch your speed."

"Yeah, get your skinny ass over here so I can get my _change _on." Emmett's laughing voice boomed into my helmet-com.

It was all perfect timing because, the caution flag went up, which, thanks to Alice, I knew was coming before I drove in.

Slowing down to fifty-five mph, I entered 'pit row' and pulled up between the yellow lines marking our changing area. We were easy to spot with the 'Masen Racing' boom sign hanging down, signaling for me to stop. I waited while Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, and Carlisle changed out the tires, fueled me up, and confirmed all the safety checkpoints.

Rosalie was the only female of the crew who came out onto the asphalt area. She wanted her report on my car.

"How's my precious doing out there?"

"Hey, thanks for asking. I'm in 10th place, but I think I could take the lead if the car was running a little better. Feels a bit loose." I patted the steering wheel and smirked at her.

"Huh, You're a funny guy. My car is not loose, and if I didn't love this baby so much, I'd go home." She allowed her thoughts to show a broken neck was very possible.

Rose had no trouble fueling the car and worked with a smile on her face. Her stock car handled like a dream and she knew it. I do mean 'her' car. She designed it from the ground up and kept the car's engine race-legal while being on the absolute razor's edge of technology.

They all had to move a little slower so they didn't appear unnaturally fast. Wrestling the seventy-five pound tires on and off was no problem for Emmett. He usually grumbled about using the pneumatic socket gun because his fingers were quicker, but it was necessary though. We had to keep up appearances.

Jasper worked efficiently and silently from the other side of the car. Carlisle swiftly checked the fluids and gave me some words of encouragement before jumping back over the wall on the safe side. The car bounced one last time as Emmett and Jasper let it down simultaneously.

"Let's kick the tires and light the fires, big daddy!" Emmett yelled out. He watched entirely too many movies.

Jasper ran back to his perch behind the wall and announced, "Go, Go, Go!"

I accelerated out of the pits to get back in line with the other drivers jockeying behind the pace car. We did one lap around, and we all jumped as the leader exited the track before speeding up to heart pounding velocities of up to 180 mph. It was then when I got behind Wolf Racing's new car. It had a yellow stripe across the back signaling a rookie driver. I heard it was a woman by listening into the other crew teams. They mentioned the name of the new driver was Isabella Swan. They also fantasized about bending her in lewd ways. Apparently she was 'fine as hell', but was also one hell of a driver who worked hard to earn her spot on the racing circuit.

It was intriguing how the sport had grown since I was a child all those years ago to embrace female drivers. My protective nature was to think a woman shouldn't engage in this kind of dangerous activities, that this was a man's sport. Of course the females in my life were the exception, they were unbreakable. I made a mental note to watch out for her. She could potentially cause one hell of a wreck.

The checkered flag waved gustily as I crossed the finish line at a modest eleventh and noticed the newbie female came in at a fair fourteenth place. Again, we weren't in it for the glory.

Pulling into the pits, I pulled down the protective net, climbed out of my car, and helped roll it back to our garage bay. Everyone busied his or her selves with checking for damages. Rosalie hooked the car's engine computer to a machine to check for error codes. The electronic numbers would read her the engine performance, as well as any potential changes which may be needed to be made.

While this was being done, I was hopefully going to catch a glimpse of the new driver. It was easy to sift through the minds of nearby people until I found my target.

What I saw next was something that brought my world down to a complete crawl. My breath stole from my lungs like Emmett had just whacked me on the back like he tends to do.

The woman pulled her slim body out of her car window once she pulled the netting away. After drawing off her helmet and cowl, she shook out the most glorious tresses I had ever seen. Her hair flowed out in a liquid waterfall of dark brown, and as she combed her fingers through her hair to get the tangles out, her smell hit me like a blazing fireball. Even with just her face and hand showing, her plush skin looked sinful enough to nibble.

She was sweaty of course and it served only to intensify her scent. It was cinnamon, exhaust, and used up fuel. I blocked out the rest of the garage and dragged it in. I could feel my nostrils sting and flare as I closed my eyes while it washed over me. My eyes practically rolled back in my head as languid rushes of blood sang through her veins. It pulled me toward her as if my feet weren't even touching the ground.

Flames licked my throat, searing it as I unconsciously walked straight toward her. Venom poured waterfalls down my throat, and my belly clenched as I felt my dick lengthen in anticipation and anticipation of female prey. So engrossed in the moment, I didn't take notice of Emmett behind me. He slapped a huge maw on my shoulder, startling me, and I growled deeply at my brother, recognizing him as a possible threat.

"What are you doing…"? Emmett stilled suddenly and dragged in a deep breath as his head snapped in the direction I had been walking. "Holy shit, can you smell that?"

Snapping out of the trance I was in, I shook my head to clear the cobwebs out. He let out a low whistle as he ogled her with appreciation. I don't know where it came from, but I actually snarled at Emmett again, which surprised me.

"Yeah . . . I noticed" I said. "That's Isabella Swan..." I felt a dizzying wave of possession hit me.

Emmett smiled apologetically at me and put his hands up. "Dude, you know I'm a man right? Ain't nothin' but Rosie for me, but, man, does she smell goo-ood, and she's a beaut."

I quickly dismissed Emmett realizing it was a waste of energy to get so riled up. His thoughts were as innocent as Emmett's could be. Which meant, perversion to the enth degree.

Slowly his lips turned up in a huge grin as his gaze slid from me to her and back again. With one last meaningful glance in Isabella's direction, he put his hand back on my shoulder and quietly said "Edward, don't stare too long. It's creepy." And he quietly walked off, muttering something about 'not losing control' and left me standing there still staring.

As I continued to watch her, my pain became excruciating as the venom continued to pour down the back of my throat. I swallowed thickly, willing it to stop.

Isabella turned as if sensing something and looked straight in my direction while she talked with one of her crew members. Her eyes were dark, and they widened slightly before she flushed and looked back at whom she was talking to.

God, she noticed me. Her eyes told me. I listened in on their conversation as she talked excitedly to 'Jake'. Odd; I could hear his thoughts, but not hers. This was my talent and my curse. I tried to block out everything so I could concentrate solely on her, but nothing echoed, not vacuous, just infinite silence.

Jake, I could hear loud and clear. He was grilling her about the race and how the car handled. I didn't like how close he was to her, big fucker that he was, but it quickly became apparent his closeness was due to the loudness coming from Victory Lane. At least, it was what I hoped.

When Jake was done, she then had a ton of reporters and photographers grappling to get her attention. She was the shiny new sensation. She didn't, however, look to be pleased with all the people giving her so much notice. There was a strain around her gorgeous eyes, and she smiled with a barely masked exhaustion.

Wanting to get closer to her was not an option while I still had things to take care of back at my garage. So, with one last hungry look, I headed back to my waiting family. We had more race details to go over and the car to dismantle for cleaning and tuning up.

Emmett grinned at me as I walked back up. He must have said something to Alice because she was smiling too. Only, hers was a dreamier smile. She was blocking me from her true thoughts by projecting how good Jasper was going to look doing a little strip show in his pit uniform later on.

"Jesus, Alice. Can't you keep your thoughts to yourself?" Gross. Nice for Jazz, disturbing to think about. She was definitely hiding something.

Moving on to listen to my dad Carlisle and Rosalie discussing how the car was handling was more challenging, intellectually. I answered their questions and listened while Rosalie purred over how her car handled. Emmett picked right up on Rosalie's less than subtle queues. Nothing got her more revved up than the glory of how well her car performed, and Em used this to his advantage, scenes playing out about what he was going to do to her tonight.

Once again I realized how alone I had been feeling. They all were basically living out my addiction with me, just for the sake of company. I'd begun to feel like their pet project, a pet rock. I was never more grateful, because the alternative was unthinkable.

After we were done, we loaded up our equipment and the racecar into the back of the carrier. We left everything locked up and ready for the next day. Our racing logo was painted on the sides of the semi trailer. We were very proud of it. It was our Cullen family crest Carlisle had designed years ago.

My family headed back over to our hotel where we would regroup and go for a hunt several miles away in a preserve. Emmett was all jacked up and ready to be alone with Rosalie, his thoughts projected loud and clear. Jasper was looking especially antsy from being around all the sweaty humans, and with the waves of lust I was sure Emmett was giving off, he was in overdrive.

We all left our rooms and met up in the lobby before heading out. I hunted with Alice and Jasper, quickly took down a few of the local deer and disposed of the bodies.

Alice came up to me after having glutted herself. "You can go now Edward. It's safe, you won't hurt her."

Shaking my head at her I said, "I hope you're right, Alice." Knowing that I could trust in her visions helped me a great deal.

I should have known the little riddler would already know that, since I had already made up my mind to go in search of Isabella Swan. I needed to find out who this mysterious woman was who had the silkiest skin I'd ever seen, the most alluring eyes, and the sweetest blood I had ever smelled. Blood my demon wanted to murder her for.


	2. Gentlemen, start your engines

As always, Thank you EJ Santry for giving me the will to write in the first place. And, thank you, Viola Cornuta for helping me with the Swiss Cheese! You know what I mean.

I do not own Stephenie Meyer's characters. Just these ones.

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**Gentlemen, Start Your Engines**

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**===Bella===**

Our big day was done, and we were finally packed up, my car serviced and put to bed. My last interview was given to _Racegirl Magazine,_ and I headed back to our bus to freshen up.

On the way there, I heard Jake calling out for me to wait up.

"Hey, Jake." I threw over my shoulder at my best friend and mechanic.

"Hey, Bells." Jake said as he loped up to me. He smiled his wolfy grin I found so sweet. "Wanna head back to the hotel with the crew and me?"

"Not yet. I want to look around and burn off some adrenaline before I head back."

There had been a few hairy wrecks in the race I narrowly managed to escape. There's nothing like steel and burning fuel coming at you at 180 mph to scare the holy hell out of you.

Cold fingers prickled along my skin just thinking about it. I shuddered and a bead of sweat ran down the side of my neck.

"I can stay with you." Jake waggled his eyebrows. "I could help you blow off a little steam," he suggested as his eyes followed the drop of sweat rolling down into my collar.

"Oh, you're a funny wolf, Jake. I'll ask Vanessa what she thinks about your offer and get back to you on that." Vanessa would whoop his ass. Besides, I knew he was kidding.

We had been best friends since I could remember. We had given a relationship a try once. What a monumental disaster that had been! We tried to kiss, only to end up grossed out as we laughed our asses off. He was kind of slobbery, and it seemed like his tongue was way too long for any human being.

"Aw Bells, you know I was only jokin'." He truly looked scared. Vanessa would neuter him in a hot second. "I'll stay with you though. I have to make sure my best girl... driver stays safe."

"Go with the guys. I'll call a cab when I'm ready."

Jake eyed me incredulously, his eyebrows shooting to parts unknown. "Oh, I don't think so!"

"How about I call you when I'm ready?" I compromised.

"Only if you stay in well lit areas and you see people around. Do you have your cell?"

"Yes, and deal. Now go home, Dad! _I'm a big kid now._" I sang the Pull-Ups commercial at him with confidence.

"Just don't wait until you're too tired. I'll be here right away if you need." Jake still looked uncertain, but trotted off to join up with the guys.

Almost to the bus, I started thinking to myself how lucky we were. Wolf Racing was very good to us and provided a luxury bus to kick back in when we needed to.

I grabbed a quick shower in the corner shower of the popped-out bedroom. After getting dressed in some comfy jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers, I pulled my wet hair into a ponytail before sticking a baseball-hat on for a little obscurity. Checking to make sure I had my cell phone and a small Mag-lite, I hopped out of the bus. It was early evening, and I decided I better grab a sweatshirt too.

The raceway was pretty deserted by now on the way to the grandstands. The work staff was cleaning up the the litter left behind by the fans. I detoured around them by going through the pits to get to the track. A security guard standing by the chain link fence looked bored until he saw me approaching.

"Be careful out there, Miss Swan," the burly guard suggested after checking my ID. "There's still a bunch of wreckage left on the track."

_Be still my beating heart!_

And, so much for my cloak-and-dagger trick.

"The clean-up crews haven't been out there yet," the guard warned. "By the way, nice driving today. We're not supposed to ask, but do you think I could get your autograph?"

"No problem, Riley," noticing his name tag, "thank you for the compliment. And, I'll be careful."

He pulled a black sharpie and a small notebook from his pocket. There were a few other driver's signatures I recognized only by their numbers. Tamping down the blush I knew was coming, I signed his booklet and gave him a wink as I passed through the pit gate.

There had been some 'bump-n-rub' done on the track during the race, so I was quite sure there were parts out there. My inner pack rat sniffed and sang! It wanted its cheese.

Loving my time to myself, this was where I found Zen. As a little girl, my dad would take me to the track, and after the race we would go looking for whatever souvenirs we could find. Memorabilia I could haul back home to inspect later.

Walking along the smooth asphalt of the track, I re-lived the battle for position while we whizzed by the crowd at insane speeds; summoned Jake talking to me through the helmet-com as he guided me through.

Unbidden, thoughts of Edward Cullen with his amber eyes, and the dreamiest bronze hair I had ever seen, snuck up on me. He'd been standing one garage away from me while I was talking to Jake. A large man with dark hair came up behind him and slapped a hand on his shoulder. Cullen looked mad at the hulk of a man, then turned his focus back to me. My stomach did a quick jiggle and goosebumps broke out on my arms as I thought of his intense stare.

I shook off the giddy feeling and went back to my ratting around.

With a smile, I closed my eyes and took in the smells. My senses delighted in the scent of the melted rubber, the cooling asphalt, and the burn off of fuel... mmm, these were soothing to me. Inhaling deeply, I groaned in deep satisfaction as a slight breeze kicked up, bringing the wonderful smell of the damp infield grass being watered.

Continuing on down the track, the sky began to darken into dusk. The buzz of the fluorescent lights signaled the impending twilight. As I walked up on the first turn, a muffled noise came from behind me. It sounded like something dropped on the ground by the grand stands. Stopping up short, I looked around, and flashed my light into the shadows, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. My scalp tingled causing the hairs to stand on end. A cold feeling swept through me, then I realized I was being paranoid, so I laughed out loud to chase the feeling away.

I turned the light forward and took a step just in time to catch my foot on something sharp and rigid. There was a blur of movement in the shadows just as I almost fell flat on my face. Strong hands clamped on my upper arms and wrenched me upright. I'd failed to notice a mangled piece of someone's hood in my path. Leave it to me to trip on probably the biggest thing lying out on the track.

"Thank..." I looked up and bumped my head on the person's chin.

"Ow! Son of a bitch!" I snapped my neck back from a very solid chest. Not quite making it past his nose, I groaned. _Holy no! Not him!_

"Are you okay?" A velvety smooth voice came from the most sinfully made lips I had ever seen.

Still staring at those scrumptious smackers, I finally managed to search farther up to his strange golden eyes and was completely lost. My heart started to pound, and for a moment a strange buzzing took up residence in my ears.

_Ooh,_ _Gentlemen, start your engines_.

Dumbstruck for a moment, I forgot I was hurt, or even scared he'd snuck up on me. That was, until I fell forward into him again, effectively bumping my forehead on his jaw.

Reaching up, I rubbed at my tender flesh. Now that _had_ to leave a mark.

I had a feeling he was the "blur" I had seen just a moment ago.

"Yeah, um, you just scared the hell out of me sneaking up on me like that!" Okay, there, I found my voice. "What're you lurking around for?"

He was still holding me tight, not speaking; his face moved inches within mine, then swooped down to my neck.

_Dude. Inappropriate, much?_

"Did you just sniff me?" And, cue the blush.

**===Edward===**

Frowning down at her, "I can assure you I was not lurking or sniffing."

Her eyes were a remarkable shade of autumn brown, which, right now were spitting fireballs at me.

Of course, I _was_ lurking; stalking her since she came out of the bus. It hadn't been hard to find her. Starting out at her assigned garage, I was able to follow her scent. I watched in silent relief as she talked Jake out of walking with her. She'd even put him in his place when he offered his lewd suggestion to help her relax. My lips curled back into a satisfied smile at her feisty reply.

My eyes followed her as she got into the bus and closed the door. Next, unfortunately, my amplified hearing caught that she was taking a shower, and all kinds of incredibly lusty thoughts came to my mind. I squashed those as I waited patiently for her to come back out.

She was trying to keep a low profile by the way her ball cap was pulled so low. It almost hid more than half of her beautifully pale skin. Her pony tail was still wet as it trailed out from under her cap and hung down, soaking the back of her t-shirt. The cottony sweet scent of those dark tresses drifted toward me. My eyes keenly followed a drop of water running off the tip of her ponytail, as it splashed down onto her perfectly fitting jeans.

Following her from the shadows, I crept through the grand stands behind her. Letting her get a lead, I leapt the wall onto the track just in time to see her catch her foot on what appeared to be a huge chunk of someone's car. Moving quickly, I caught her before she fell.

Thankfully, I'd hunted before I came to see her. Flames seared my vocal chords.

In the darkening light, I could see she was not as gorgeous as I perceived earlier. No. Bella Swan was something more; much, much more. She wore no makeup, nor did she need it. Her darling blush was beautiful on her; the sudden bloom of blood to her skin's surface sent waves of fresh Bella scent beating at me.

Her blood was the most succulent thing I'd ever encountered. Her unique fragrance sang to me. Dragging her scent in, I wanted to sink my teeth deep in the vee at her neck and chest. I wanted to feel her flesh give way; feel her heart pump and bathe my mouth in her blood.

Becoming very aware of the fact I was still holding Bella in my arms, my venom began to accumulate behind my teeth.

I found myself bending down to run my nose up the column of her throat. At the same time she tried to look up at me and bumped her forehead on my chin.

Bella's eyes traveled to my lips, and I saw her swallow. She stared at them for a moment longer then looked into my eyes. The startled look on her face caused my demon to howl with delight.

"_Feed. Feed. Feed,"_ it chanted.

I beat the bugger down into its hole. I was stronger than this. Setting her away from me with more force than I should have, determined to insure her safety, I almost sent her flying across the track. I had to quickly grab her again to keep her from falling. Her heart sped up quickly; the sound could have rivaled the engine of my car.

I was pretty sure she wasn't used to being thrown around like a rag doll by some strange man. Poor girl was lucky I hadn't given her whiplash.

Setting her gently down and away this time, I could feel the warmth from holding her start to fade. Quickly sticking my hands in the pockets of my jeans, I thought I wouldn't be tempted to draw her into my arms again.

"I apologize. I didn't mean to scare you. I wasn't trying to sneak up on you." Staring into her beautiful eyes, I willed her to believe me.

"Can we start over?"

She nodded blankly at me.

"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to introduce myself earlier this afternoon. I'm Edward..."

"From Masen Racing, I know."

I still couldn't hear her thoughts so I went on. "You must be Isabella Swan, the new driver from Wolf Racing."

"What were you doing back there?" She put her hand on her hip, seeming to be a little distrustful. _Good_, I thought, she should be unsure of me. But given what I'd witnessed today on the track, she wasn't scared easily, and in this business, you couldn't be.

"Where did you just come from?" she demanded.

Swiftly reviewing a series of lies to tell her, I settled on the best option. Basing the lie on the conversation I'd eavesdropped on earlier with her mechanic, I looked down at my feet and starting fidgeting as if embarrassed.

"You are going to think it's stupid, but I like to walk the track after a race to cool off. I saw you ahead of me and was trying to catch up when I saw you trip on that rather, um, small hunk of car." Peering up, I wanted to see her reaction to my sappy answer, and she actually looked like she bought it.

"Me too. It's something I've been doing since I started racing pro this year. I'm still not quite sure how you got to me that quickly, but thank you for catching me." She shuffled a bit, and that hot pink blush was back too. Interesting...

I knew I was treading on dangerous ground, but finding I wasn't ready to let her go yet, I decided to ask her if I could walk with her.

"May I walk with you the rest of the way then, Miss? Or… I do I have hang back for your safety?" I turned the full force of my charm on her. Or at least what I thought was charm.

Everything about her drew me in; her smell, fiery eyes, the glorious hair I wanted to wrap my hands in and use to yank her head back. The demon purred at the thought of the expanse of skin rending under my lips and urged me to do it. Bella's closeness was affecting me again, and I took a cautious step away from her.

"It's usually something I like to do on my own." She drew her brows together, and my hands itched to reach up and smooth them out. Pushing farther into my pockets, I stopped when I felt the seams start to give. My cold hands would probably shock her if I touched her exposed flesh, and I wasn't sure how I would have explained that away.

She seemed to be contemplating the rest of her answer. "Alright, but don't make fun of me. I like to pick up random parts; plus, I don't think I could handle you staring at my butt for the next mile and a half."

"Wouldn't dream of it," I laughed, and it felt good.

Generally, I didn't talk to many humans, only the occasional reporters or race officials. This felt natural and right.

We turned in unison and finished walking the track in relative silence, asking a few insignificant questions here and there.

Our time was short. I stole a lot of glances at her and even offered to carry a piece of tire obviously torn from someone's unfortunate car. I promised not to laugh at her funny little quirk, but she didn't say anything about smiling and shaking my head while she flitted here and there examining sheered lug nuts and other parts. She chatted away about her trips with her father, and I found it very endearing. I felt a pang of jealousy for her time with her parents. Mine were long gone.

It was over all too quickly as we reached the front gates of the speedway. We said our goodbyes to the security and janitor staff, and even signed a few autographs.

Almost offering to drive her to her hotel, I remembered I didn't have a car. Instead, I offered to get us a taxi to ensure she got back to her hotel safely.

Bella declined and said she had plans with her friend Jake to pick her up. She pulled out her cell and dialed. I could hear him say he would be right there as we sat on a bench out front.

Jake... there was something off about that guy. I made a mental note to have Alice take a look at what she could see about him.

It was probably for the best that I didn't try being in the small confines of a cab with her. At least outside her scent was diluted and made it easier for me to control myself.

While I stayed with Bella, Jake showed up a few minutes later. He was driving a sleek, navy blue 2010 Cadillac CTS-V concept car. Now, there was a car anyone could appreciate. It had a 556 horsepower v-8 engine that could go from 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds. Rosalie would have drooled, and then probably killed him just so she could drive it.

Seeing her mechanic in a car like that got my wheels spinning. Who was Wolf Racing? There was some money flowing there. Maybe Jasper would do some investigating for me.

Bella's eyes were very droopy now. "There's my ride," she said tiredly. The day had definitely taken its toll on her. Taking the useless piece of rubber from me, she thanked me and went to meet Jake's car.

He parked at the curb about six feet from where we'd been sitting and jumped out. Opening the passenger side door, he shook his head at her. He looked like an indulgent father whose child was proudly showing him her shiny new toy.

"Pack rat," he muttered affectionately under his breath.

Just as he shut her door, a small night breeze kicked up. Jake stiffened and whipped around looking in my direction. His nostrils flared, and he snorted like a dog would to clear a bad smell out of its nose.

His face instantly pulled into a thunderous mask of hatred, and he glared at me. Ours eyes locked as we sized each other up. His skin began to ripple and shiver, a growl starting. He was marking his territory; in this case, Bella, and I'd crossed the line.

Cat and dog.

I'm sure my face mirrored his. His smell was a cross between mold and just nasty. Clearly he didn't know how much his stench was disgusting, and he dared act like I smelled bad?

Jake snorted again and finally broke eye contact. He shook himself, remembering where he was. His thoughts I could read clearly.

_Holy shit! Edward Cullen's a vampire? Fuck, I've got to get Bella out of here. Goddammit! He's gonna think I'm scared of him. Fu-uck that!_

He ducked back into the car, slammed his door, and laid a long line of rubber out of the parking lot.

But, not before I heard him spit out, "Fucking Leech!"

"Mutt!" I snarled back.


	3. Fuel for Thought

****First and foremost THANK YOU to my beta EJ Santry** ****I wait with baited breath to see what you think and say!**

**Caligraham - You are too slow *snickers*! This is where you make the "Pffttt" sound.**

**I want to thank my reviewers: GOTEAMJACOB, Bella's-Choice, GrayGreenEyes, pandemania, bonitaChickia, and of course EJ santry and Caligraham! And, I want to thank all the "lurkers" that read my story too. Hits are fun to see too. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns these characters.**

Fuel for Thought

EPOV

What had just happened? My feet barely hit the ground as I tried to sort out the fact that Jake was a werewolf. Did Bella know? Alice, I'm sure, would be waiting for me when I got back. As I got closer, I could hear her thinking a million thoughts at once. They were so jumbled that I had to tune her out. Jasper was trying to calm her down. His thoughts were more peaceful and mostly were concentrated on her.

True to form, they both were waiting for me as I got to the floor of my room. Jasper was absently rubbing Alice's back and murmuring to her that it wasn't the end of the world.I kind of ignored them as I whipped out my room key card and went in. They, of course, followed me inside. Alice was the first to speak. Her squeal of excitement caught me off guard.

"I was watching you walk with that driver Bella Swan, actually enjoying yourself. Which, by the way, I approve. She and I are going to be good friends!" Alice predicted. "But then you disappeared off my radar for a few minutes. What happened?" She looked so crestfallen.

I frowned at her. "That's all you saw? Didn't see that Bella's mechanic is a werewolf? He almost changed right in front of her and me." That got Jasper's attention in a hurry.

"You're sure, Edward?" Jasper asked. He knew the implications of being in close proximity with them. That brought out a snort on my part.

"There is no mistaking that stench!" I wrinkled my nose in disgust. Jasper agreed.

Werewolves and vampire were natural sworn enemies. Werewolves were our only predators and vice-a-verse. It was our check and balance system. They could tear us limb from limb if they wanted to. We hadn't seen werewolves in decades. Not since…Oh!

Alice looked at me and simply stated "We've got to talk to Carlisle right now."

One step ahead of her already, I had flipped open my cell phone to call him. Carlisle picked up on the first ring and I gave him a quick sketch of what was going on. He told us to come up right away.

We went straight for the stairwell. We could race up the stairs to the penthouse quicker than the elevator could take us. Carlisle and Esme were staying up there trying to stay out of earshot for privacy. With our hearing, it is necessary. The three of us reached their door in no time at all. Carlisle opened his door and ushered us inside. He had already called Emmett and Rosalie up. They didn't look very pleased about being there.

Emmett was projecting all the things he would like to be doing to Rose right now. Rosalie was throwing off images of her strangling me. Ugh! Both of them were being completely obnoxious.

"Emmett, Rose, knock it off!" I growled at them. "This is important!"

Alice couldn't help herself "Edward met a girl. Well, Bella Swan from Wolf Racing to be exact. I saw him walking the track with her after we hunted tonight."

"That's why we're up here? Are you kidding me? Seriously, Edward?" Then Rose looked even more pissed. "What are you doing hanging around with a human girl? Do you know what kind of risk that puts us in? God! Could you be any more selfish?"

Esme place a hand on Rosalie's arm. "Rosalie dear, why don't we wait to hear what Edward has to say?" Carlisle nodded in agreement.

Emmett just stood there taking it all in. Then he said, "Edward, she's not one of us. You can't jeopardize what we've all been working for."

I just stood there with my mouth hanging open squinting at them. "That's not the reason we are all here. I just found out her mechanic is a werewolf."

Emmett broke out laughing. "Dude, how'd that smell?"

Carlisle shook his head at Emmett's antics. "The better question is, does the wolf know what you are?"

All eyes turned to me. "Huh, I would think so. He could smell me as much as I could him. We traded insults before he left with Bella in that Caddy concept."

That got Rosalie's attention. "Which one?" All eyes were now on her. "What?" she shrugged. "I'm just asking?"

BPOV

Jake wouldn't even look at me on the way back to our hotel. We were speeding, but that was nothing new, given our chosen profession. He kept checking the rear view mirror as if someone were following us.

"Goddamn leech, Mother Fu…."

"Jake! What is your problem?" I asked astonished. Jake's swear vocabulary was pretty extensive, but he never used the "F" word, at least not in front of me.

"What were you doing talking to that...sucker?" he grilled me.

"Are you seriously asking me with that attitude? What the hell, Jake?" I threw back at him in disbelief. What was he so uptight about? "I can talk to whoever I want to!"

"See…friends," I made a waving motion with my hands, back and forth between us, "not dad…daughter."

"I just don't want you talking to him is all. He's a rival driver. He's just trying to get in your head and mess with you. He's a parasite," he added forbiddingly at me.

"Whoa, slow down, Jake, you are way pushing the boundaries right now…" I trailed off because he turned to glare at me and I noticed he was shaking with barely contained rage.

Jake's eyes were burning into mine with an intensity that I hadn't witnessed before. Something was really off. He acted like he wanted to say something and his mouth did open and shut a few times.

What could Edward possibly have to do with making him so mad? As far as I knew, they had never even spoken to one another. I thought Edward was very nice and very gentlemanly. He walked with me, politely asked me questions, and he even carried my treasure for me. It also didn't hurt that he was gorgeous with a capital G.

Wait…was Jake jealous? That thought was quickly dismissed. No way. Nessie was the best thing that ever happened to him. There was something else. Jake had never acted this way about anyone before.

"I mean it, Bella. He's bad news. He's a bloodsucking jerk and doesn't care who he hurts. Stay away from his crew too. I don't know what kind of people they might be if they hang around with the likes of him."

He obviously was trying to warn me away from Edward. He sure has a strange way of describing him. Hmmm...

"Okay, okay, don't get your fur in a ruffle!" A loud snort escaped my lips before I could stop it. Oops, well now, that didn't help his mood. I should know better than to push Jake's buttons after all these years. I mean, he should come with a warning label of what not to do when your best friend is a descendant of an ancient Quileute Indian werewolf. But, sometimes, I didn't do what that little voice in my head said not to do.

Since he was driving, in no way did I want him changing and making us crash. So, I meekly added, "sheesh, I'm just kidding. I'll stay away from them if you feel that strongly about it."

He seemed somewhat mollified by my answer. At least, his shivering had stopped, signaling he wasn't going to accidentally change. Of course, I had no intention of staying away from Edward. Apparently, when a mythical creature warned you away from something, I lacked the better judgment to heed it.

Normally, Jake was very playful by nature and was a very carefree wolf. This disturbing attitude was very unlike him. In my mind, I had already made the decision to investigate further in the morning. Speaking of morning, that was not very far away and I decided rather than to push Jake at this moment, I needed sleep way more. Complete exhaustion had set in.

We drove the rest of the way in silence with Jake fuming and grumbling to himself. A valet parking attendant opened my door once we were at our hotel. With barely enough time to get out and the attendant shutting the door, Jake pealed out in his apparent anger to go park it. He was not letting the valet parking attendants get their paws on that Cadillac. I shrugged my shoulders at the startled attendant and went inside. Disappointment was apparent on his face that he wasn't going to get to take that car out for a spin.

Once back in my room, I barely managed to get out of my clothes and into some sweats and a t-shirt. I set the alarm on the nightstand and checked my ipod to make sure it was set correctly. I had a regimen that I like to follow in the mornings. The maid had made the bed and the pillows were nice and fluffed up. They were some kind of feather down and sank when my head hit them. The white sheets were satiny feeling against my skin as I snuggled in and started to drift off to sleep.

That night I dreamt of race cars, oblong race tracks, a bronze haired Edward Cullen.

****So push that review button on the right...you can even leave it blank if you would like. ****

**You are going to see a whole other side you haven't seen before in the next chapter. Detective Bella is on the job and will probably see another one of her endearing quirks!**


	4. Blown and Confused

**Thank you so much Beta Beth! Your destructions to fix my story were right on!!! Seriously folks, go check out her link as EJ Santry on my profile and READ her stories! ****To Caligraham, Thank you for plugging my leaks with peanut butter *frantically looking for flour, eggs, and sugar to make cookies* tee hee**

**Once again, I don't own S Meyer's stuff. I do, however, own the books that are currently state hopping via UPS and American Airlines around this great country of ours!**

**See my AN at the bottom**

**Blown and Confused ~ Chapter 4**

**BPOV**

The next day dawned bright and clear. Not a billowy cloud in the sky. Perfect racing conditions! I was chasing after Edward, trying my damndest to catch up to him. He constantly had me staring at his back bumper and spinning tires with no hope of ghosting past him. Suddenly, I was cut off by a black-as-night stock car with a huge crimson red "V" as the only graphic showing on the car. With the pointy end of the "V" facing the hood and the legs flowing up and over the cab down to the back bumper, the crimson color seemed to shimmer in a macabre dance of swirling and twirling blood drops.

I braked hard, frying the tires off as it swerved into me, trying to push me into the wall.

What the HELL! Where did this _S.O.B._ come from? I didn't remember seeing him at the poles in the beginning of the race.

The car jumped ahead of me, still intent on pushing me into the outside wall of cement death. I was frantic to get away and tried every trick I had been taught. I even tried to draft up behind and slingshot around it to get away, but whoever was driving seemed to anticipate my every move. The driver of the car managed to change its direction just in time to keep me behind it.

All the other cars tried to give us a wide berth as they hurtled by in a blur. They were trying to avoid the impending collision.

I'm sure their crew chiefs were panicking right now. Mine was. Jake was screaming into my helmet-com to break away from whoever that insane, death-wish driver was. That jet midnight car was causing a pinball effect among the throng of careening tonnage.

The next thing I knew, I saw a blurred flash of russet brown fur running next to me. Whaa…? It was Jake in his werewolf form, running as fast as he could. He started crashing his massive body into my car trying to push me out of harm's way. Now it as time for me to panic! Oh my God! The crowd could see him! It's not every day you see a huge wolf, the size of a horse, running on a track keeping time with racecars. I was scared to death he was going to get hit by one of the other drivers.

Unexpectedly, Edward's car spun around, like something out of an action movie, facing the wrong way on the track, aiming straight for me. I'm pretty sure I had a heart attack right then and there. I could see him through his windshield, looking very determined to hit me. As I opened my mouth in a soundless scream, Edward, without warning, shifted to ram head-on into the offending black car. Both cars detonated into a fiery explosion!

Searing heat erupted around me as I drove through the carnage. Fire sucked its way in through my windows like a vacuum only to be pulled back out by a vortex of air akin to a back draft.

"Edward!"

Dazedly, I woke up in a heart-pounding terror with his name on my lips.

Bolting up frantically, I launched the bedside lamp to the floor with a crash, along with the bedspread and pillows. In the eerie umber-red burn shining from the alarm clock, I was reminded of the blaze of the inferno from my nightmare. As I reached down to pick up the bedside lamp, I thought I glimpsed a dark figure sitting in the chair in the corner. A scream bubbled in my throat as I fell to the floor while trying to grab the lamp to switch it on. I landed with a thud, muffled by the thick looped carpeting. Great, I can now add carpet burns to the list of injuries I frequently inflicted onto my skin!

Luckily the lamp still worked and threw sunny light into all the shadows of the room, only to find there was nothing or no one there. I sat for a moment, still on the floor, gathering my bearings and getting my short circuited heart as well as my breathing under control. I winced a little at the small twinge of pain in my ankle and the fresh burns on my knees as I got up from the floor to climb back in bed.

_Grrr!_ I must have twisted my ankle a bit harder than I thought when I tripped over that front grill out on the track last night. That thought reminded me of Edward and his sweetness as well as Jake's reaction to seeing me with him. More detective work may be in order in the morning.

Right now, I needed more sleep. I was exhausted from tossing and turning all night. I leaned over and picked up the lamp, returned it to the table, and switched it off. The alarm clock on the nightstand glowed 3:43 am.

I gathered up the bedspread and pillows, stuffed my head under one of them and tried desperately to calm down enough to fall back to sleep. Amazingly, I went straight back to sleep, dreaming of a dazzlingly, deep copper-haired sex god.

Debussy softly brought me out of my sleep two hours later. My iPod was docked on the alarm clock and set to wake me up to _Claire de Lune_. It was my way to wake up centered. I would change it to something a little more hardcore once I was up and moving around.

I lay there humming off-tune for a while as I eyeballed the alarm clock. _Hmmm_...it just might have to pull a disappearing act into my suitcase. I could make it a home somewhere handy after we left town. My suitcase was pretty big and I mentally calculated how it would fit, along with the bathroom towels I was already going to swipe.

With a happily contented sigh, I counted my blessings that I'd get to race again today. I swung my legs off the bed and gingerly took a step to test my ankle and found that it didn't bother me at all. The carpet burns were going to sting like a bitch once I got in the shower. Never mind that I was going to have to skip shaving them. Blood was something I didn't handle well at all. Just the thought had me feeling a little faint.

I switched the iPod to my _"get moving"_ playlist. As I headed to the shower, Rob Zombie's _Dragula_ came pounding out through the small speakers loudly, almost blowing its poor little speaker guts all over the place. That song always got me pumped up for a race day.

The hot, steamy water coming from the shower head released the tension in my muscles as I reflected on my dream. I slathered myself in my favorite strawberry/cinnamon wash and massaged my legs, neck, and arms before moving my hands to my breasts and down the planes of my stomach and couldn't help the unbidden thoughts of Edward using his hands on me in just the same manner. My imagination started thinking of all kinds of ways that he could help clean me. _Mmmm…_

Then I remembered the ebony car with the blood red 'V' on it. The delicious meditations I had been enjoying evaporated like the water off of my hypersensitive over-stimulated skin. It must have been the post-race adrenaline spikes and crashes, as well as Jake's cryptic words to me last night, that had me all wound up again. It was a bizarre dream to say the least. But then again, I had always had some pretty fantastical ones.

After my shower, I threw my hair up in a messy wet bun, got into my clothes, and called Jake to meet me in the lobby. There was a Starbucks down there somewhere. I had noted it when we first checked in. I could go get my "_inocu-latte_" on. That's what Jake called my need to intravenously take in coffee in the mornings. _Then_ I would grill him about his attitude last night.

He didn't answer the phone right away. After the fourth ring, I was about to give up and go pound on his door when he finally picked up.

There was only breathing at first. "Uh, Jake?"

A muffled reply from the other end said something that vaguely sounded like a snuffled "woof."

Then came a more alert, "Bells? God, what time is it? Holy shit! It's 6! Why didn't you call me earlier? What the hell?"

His sentences ran together quicker than my non-caffeinated brain could register.

"Sorry, wolfie, thought you'd be up already."

I grinned. This was going to be a good day! I never got the jump on him. He liked his sleep, but he was always up before me.

"I'll be over in five. Need your fix?"

"Don't worry, I'll go down and get it on my own. I'll meet you in the lobby. We have some time before we're late for the track." I let him off the hook easy.

"Bells, we need to talk when I get down there. Okay?" He seemed more alert, and a little agitated.

Not this again.

"Okay, Jakeys, I'll see you in a few."

_Jakeys_...hah! That always riled him up.

"See ya."

Wow, he didn't even rise to the bait.

After getting my steaming double-shot, white mocha latte in the lobby, I sat down, had an out of body experience worshipping my Starbucks coffee, and waited for Jake to come down. He didn't make me wait long. He loped past me, throwing me a quick raspberry, and went out to get the Caddy. That was one vehicle he was going to hate giving back to the exotic rental place.

Once we were on our way back to the track, he turned his head slightly to look at me but changed his mind and quickly turned back to the road. He opened his mouth several times before closing it again. The _fish out of water_ look was starting to get old. He even turned a shade or two darker than his already deeply tanned skin.

I pasted on a saccharine-sweet smile and asked, "What's on your mind, Jakey? It wouldn't have anything to do with Edward Cullen, would it?"

Jake growled and turned an unbelievably sinister shade of purple. It wasn't the playful growling I was used to. And, his coloring was starting to alarm me.

_Sheesh_, what's wrong with me? I was really pushing my luck calling him that twice in one morning. Then to bring up Edward…_ding dong, someone get the door, there's an idiot standing outside!_

"Enough, Isabella!"

_Rut-roh, George_. What am I, twelve? He only calls me that when it's something really serious. It's always Bells.

"Look, I'm really sorry about yelling at you last night. But, I need you to understand something. You have got to stay away from that parasite."

He stressed that name out like a swear word. "He's not going to do you any favors out there. It's just that…Jesus, Bells, please tell me that you'll stay away."

I was seriously trying to tamp down the furious flush I knew was creeping throughout my neck. If he only knew the dreams and fantasy I had had about Edward…

"Fine, I'll try to avoid him, but if he talks to me, I'm not going to be rude to him. I am a grown ass woman and can make my own judgments," I snipped at him.

"Bella, God…please?" he pled with me.

"What more can I say? I said I'll steer clear of him, for now, but if he talks to me, I cannot be rude. _E__ver!_" I used that last punctuated word as the conversation ender.

Thankfully, moments later, we arrived at our garage just as the crew was unloading the Wolf Racing car. We parked and I swiftly got out so I didn't have to say another word and headed over to the guys and Leah.

The smells of the garage brought on a wave of nostalgia. The solvents and the fuel were a mixture of pungent malodorous scents that tickled my nose and I reveled in it. Sick person that I was, I loved the smell of racing fuel in the morning.

It reminded me of Charlie and our stops along the way to the races in our old Chevy truck. I would jump out and stick my nose as close to the fuel nozzle as possible with out getting any on me. Of course, Charlie would get on to me for it, and once, he even caught me trying to taste it! After I was done shuddering and gagging, he laughed at me, shook his head, and said "Only you, Bells". Ahh…the good old days!

It made me miss my dad terribly and I made a mental note to call him after the race today. He was a man of few words except when it came to my racing. His excitement only made me feel my sense of accomplishment that much deeper.

I knew it killed him to not be here, but being the chief of police in the small town of Forks, Washington, was important. He would be out with me soon enough when he got his vacation time. Besides, he would DVR the race to watch me anyway.

Thunderous sounds of a race engine being barked up broke me out of my wool gathering as I glanced over two garage bays down and spotted Edward's various crew members working on his car. They seemed to move elegantly as one. Each step was deliberate, almost as if choreographed. There was a feline gracefulness to their every movement. There was no way to describe the way they seemed to move in slow motion.

They were already in their crew jumpsuits, and I was curious about the huge crest I could see on their backs. It seemed a little medieval, with some sort of scroll-like lion standing up in it. They were too far away to make out a lot of the detail, though. It should have seemed weird that they only had one sponsor, but, so did I.

They were all zipped up and had their gloves on. It was kind of chilly, so I guess that made sense. Although, it didn't seem _that_ cold to me, or maybe I had just gotten used to my crew always walking around in wife beaters or short sleeved shirts. Wolves tended to run a little higher in temperature than regular people.

A huge bear of a man with a ball cap sitting sideways on his head was smiling and seemed to be trying to tease a small impish girl with spiky black hair. A gorgeous honey-blond man was standing very close to her and was grinning at the both of them.

The tiny girl didn't seem to be paying attention to the big guy's antics. In fact, she seemed to be a little dazed and was concentrating on something with her eyebrows drawn close together.

A tall, statuesque platinum blond woman had her back to me, bent over the hood. But the sudden rigid stance she took when she stood up showed that she wasn't sharing in the joke. She was holding some wrenches in her hands and was brandishing them like weapons. She looked like she was about to throw a tool at Mr. Burly. Then she made a cutting motion to her neck and the engine stopped.

I was slightly amused by the display of hostility, but disappointed that I didn't see a certain coppery-haired deity right away.

A pale silver-blond man walked up and spoke to the hot honey-blond.

Great, now everyone was identified by the color of his or her hair. And, why are they all so beautiful? Was that a requirement of being in his crew? They all had to look like some kind of pale super-modelesque gods?

Mr. Hot honey-blond stiffened and turned in my direction.

Uh oh…

My tires suddenly seemed to need to have a serious close up inspection and I dove down to the ground effectively bumping my burned knees. I could hear Jake whispering heatedly to Seth, Sam, and Quil on the other side of the car. They all growled deeply but so quietly, you felt it more than heard it. Their boots were the only thing visible and I was wondering what they were going on about.

They continued to bicker for a moment before they turned to sullenly glare at the people in Edward's bay. A fresh round of growls ripped from each of their throats as they noticed Edward's crew looking back at them peculiarly. Well, all with the exception of the tall, Bridgitte Bardot looking blondie. She just boldly glowered back at them.

So, what the hell? Not the guys too! What were they all being so secretive about? This was completely abnormal behavior for them. Well, other than being a pack of huge wolves.

Everyone's behavior was leaving me feeling a little bit blown and confused. I was not used to them ever acting this way. I needed to get to the bottom of this.

Seth would be my target. He was the easiest of the bunch to get information out of. I knew the others would not be forthcoming with any kind of "_pack_" business. Leah would be on lockdown with her lips. Yes, Seth would definitely be the go-to guy! A couple of well-placed scratches behind the ears and he was putty in my hands. Or maybe some lasagna, that was his all time fave. It would have to be later, though. Race time was almost upon us.

"Bells…get off the ground…NOW," snarled Jake.

I quickly stood, facing the guys, and fought back a wave of blood rushing dizziness as I heard that sinfully sexy, thigh tingling voice from behind me say, "Good morning, Isabella."

**AN ~ Okay, confession time. I used to sniff gas as a kid when my parents would stop for it. I loved it! I know, I know, EWW right?**

Also, pull your mind out of the gutter with the "Blown and Confused" title. I have this really cool shirt that says Blown and Confused on it with a cartoon racecar frying off the tires and flames shooting out of the "blown" engine and the exhaust. True story.

**Up soon, more Edward and a little less Bella, maybe some Jake skin for some Jake lovers. It will be my little attempt at some sexy time.**

**Please leave me a little review, I would love to hear your thoughts! Leave some love or leave some ideas. **

**PS ~ Did anyone notice my Jetson's reference? No, it's not Scooby doo, it's Astro. **


	5. Stake and Bake

Thank you Beta Betty Beth (EJ Santry) for getting back to me so quick and on Easter no less! You slip my flippers! Your stories are so inspiring to me! And a quick side note to you. Holidays are best served with a lemon pie for dessert! hee hee

Everyone else that is taking the time out of their day to read my silliness makes my heart smile, especially the reviewers hint hint.

My brother Rhino in Iraq who now has to watch the Twi movie to catch up with his big sis and get some insight into the Twickness. Love ya little Bro! My mom that makes me laugh and cry with her gifts of thoughtfulness and love. I hope this story is worth the money you paid to own it.

Steph72, Thank you for your words of encouragement. They mean the world to me.

Enough of my prattling and on with the story...

STAKE AND BAKE ~ CHAPTER 5

**EPOV**

_*Thoughts are in 'italics'*_

_*Short recap from where we left back at Carlisle and Esme's hotel room*_

_**Alice couldn't help herself "Edward met a girl. Well, Bella Swan from Wolf Racing to be exact. I saw him walking the track with her after we hunted tonight."**_

_**Rose looked even more pissed. "That's why we're up here? Are you kidding me? Are you serious Edward? What are you doing hanging around with a human girl? Do you know what kind of danger that puts us in? God! Could you be any more selfish? We are already risking a lot so you can race."…**_

…_**I just stood there with my mouth hanging open squinting at them. "That's not the reason we are all here. I just found out her mechanic is a werewolf!" **_

_**All eyes turned to me. Well, that shut them up.**_

No easy task that one! Six vampires stood there with their mouths set into hard lines. I had never raised my voice at them. Jasper was desperately trying sending out waves to calm the room.

"Jasper, knock it off! I want to be mad at Edward." Rosalie was the first to recover. "So, do we pack up tonight and leave? Where to next? Anyone? God, Edward, leave it to you to screw everything up for us!"

I had two problems facing me right now. Actually three if you counted Rosalie, but her I could just disregard.

The first one being that the fiend inside of me now wanted Bella. It wanted to taste her blood. It wanted to rip out her throat and soak in her warm sweet innocence. It wanted to murder her.

I could never let that happen. I was going to protect her from my monster. I was going to protect her from that mutt.

Second being, that I needed to race. I craved the rush of the speed, the chest throbbing vibration of it all, that wild thrill of chasing humans around a closed track. That fed my inner beast, even seemed to placate it for a period of time.

Everyone had a purpose as a part of Masen Racing. We had an exorbitant amount of money to fund our project. Alice made sure of that with her mysterious ability to watch the market fluctuations.

Rosalie was the mechanic. She always stayed ahead of the trends in motor engineering. She was an incredible talent. That meant putting up with her moods to get to drive a machine with gut wrenching power. Mostly, it kept her in a good mood which was great for Emmett.

Emmett was my raw muscle. He was fast and strong. He could be a one man crew when it came to servicing the race car. For obvious reasons, that was not possible though. Of course he held the fastest time for changing tires on a race car in the pits. He proudly held that title. He thrived on competition. Everything was a challenge to him. He placed bets on almost everything we did. Not including the racing. That was sacred.

Jasper was the pit chief. He was great for keeping me in balance. He could calm me or pump me up a few notches while I drove. He let me know what was going on ahead of the track. He also kept me in check so we didn't draw too much attention to ourselves when I just wanted to blow the doors off the other drivers.

Alice was the spotter. Her ability to see ahead was critical to avoid the wrecks. She would also keep us up to date with our gear. All of our safety gear was state of the art because of her. She loved to shop. No, lived to shop.

Carlisle using his speed could get out to the pits, re-fuel, check the fluids, and wash off the windows in no time, all the while, trying to look as human as possible. As leader of our coven he kept us all in line. As our Dad, he was our rock. He was the reason we all could stay together as a family. His chosen "vegetarian" lifestyle of only taking animal blood, made it easy for us to co-exist together.

Esme made sure our parts were ordered and kept us stocked on everything we would need to keep everything running smoothly. She handled everything that needed by the guys when it was time to pit. She did it all with a smile on her face. Her motherly instincts were endearing and we all loved and respected her with everything we had.

I needed them all, each and every one of them. I really needed them with me on whatever decision I was going to make where Bella was concerned.

It was then that I realized there was no way I was going to stay away from her. Werewolf or no werewolf, I needed to get closer to her.

"Earth to Edward?" Rosalie yelled at me. "What are we going to do about this? You have to stay away from her and the wolf."

Emmett walked over to stand by his wife and glared at me with a sternness that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, Edward, what _are _you going to do?" His thoughts were already on how to make bets with Jasper.

I popped back in from my thoughts and stated, "I am not going to stay away from _her_, Rose, Emmett." I purposefully left out the dog though.

That caused Rosalie to stiffen up and look even madder, if that was even possible. Emmett just looked like he was fighting a grin. He was choking on his laugh. He wasn't about to upset Rose. Once again I ignored her thoughts of strangulation.

"We need to figure out how she ended up with a werewolf in her crew." Ignoring both her and Emmett, I went on. "I have to make sure she is safe from him."

"Jasper, can you do some research as to who exactly Wolf Racing is? Who is funding them? I asked.

Jasper nodded at me and before he left the room said "Makes sense that her sponsor is Wolf racing. Way to stay inconspicuous."

"Is there anything you can see, Alice?"

She dazed out and said. "Well, um, nooo." She drew out. "I can't see him at all. But, I can see that Bella is sleeping right now though. She seems to be having a nightmare from the looks of it. And…" She smiled brightly. "Looks like she's going to have a visitor soon" Her thoughts showed me in the corner of her room watching her. Her lips upturned into a smile.

"I'm going to really like her Edward. Can I meet her tomorrow too?" She paused. "Oh, and Edward? Take the opportunity when the phone rings."

Alice's thoughts were all over the place. She didn't wait for me to answer her before she flitted out the door behind Jasper.

"Well, obviously everyone has lost their minds! Let me know when this circus is settled down!" Rosalie huffed out the door after Alice.

Emmett stayed for a moment with a conflicted look in his eyes. "I guess we'll see you in a few hours then? We aren't going to make any decisions yet, right?"

"Emmett, are you coming?" Rose hissed from the hallway.

"No, we are still going to the track. We can't pull out now. I don't want to burn that bridge. We will still race tomorrow."

That seemed to relieve him because everyone knew how much he loves the races.

"Cool, we get to play a little stake and bake with the humans again!" _'Game on!' _popped out of his head next.

"Emmett!" Another hiss, louder than before, was heard.

He trotted out the door towards his wife and was heard trying to console her "Aw, c'mon, babe! It's just a game."

Carlisle and Esme were silent through the whole conversation so far.

I turned my attention towards the two remaining people in the room. "Do you think the wolf has anything to do with the Quileutes?

Carlisle answered "It's a strong possibility, but we won't know anything until Jasper does his research."

"Son, I am going to trust your judgment in this matter. Know that we will support your decisions. Just make the right ones, okay?" Carlisle put his hand in Esme's as Esme agreed. "Be discreet and we will help you in any way we can."

"Thank you Carlisle, Esme." That was all I could say as I headed out the door.

"And, son, don't get caught." Esme winked at me. They knew exactly where I was going. I turned trying to contain my smile, winked back, and disappeared out the door.

***

I ran down the stairwell and slowed down to a human walk before I went out the front doors. My feet flew across the pavements as I made way to Bella's hotel. There was no one to witness me as I stayed to the shadows.

I knew where she was staying from the information I stole out of that dog's head. He was thinking about the quickest way to get back to their hotel as he pealed away in a childish show of manliness.

Now, another problem arose. How was I going to get into her room? I knew I would be able to track her by her scent. But, getting in was an issue. Hotels these days didn't have windows that opened out any more. I figured it best to scout out the area first.

I slowed down as I approached the hotel. I could smell her. Her scent was faint, but I could still smell the floral aroma she left. Venom already started to flow, but it was manageable. I went to the elevators and stopped at each floor. I poked my head out at each floor until I found the strongest path to her door. I knew there was no way I could go in with out breaking the door handle. So, I decided on the next course of action, which was to obtain a key. From the looks of it, they didn't use the card keys like my hotel did.

I made it back down to the lobby. There were the same types of amenities that we had at ours. The floors were shiny hardwood with richly colored rugs scattered about and mismatched leather and tapestry print furniture. There was a commercial coffee shop, as well as a gift shop and some various kiosks all shut down for the night.

As I approached the clerk at the front desk, I noticed the old fashioned keys on hooks hanging behind the woman's back. Bingo! My new plan developed. This hotel was modern, but tried to preserve the look of old times past.

A kindly looking older woman with 'straight out of the box' red hair was sitting behind the counter reading a magazine. She looked up at me and faltered for a fraction of a second before breaking into a radiant smile.

It was the attraction that was a part of my vampirism that both startled and lured her in at the same time. I was all too aware of these traits and decided to use them in my favor.

Her black and white name tag revealed her as hotel manager, Mrs. Cope. Her thoughts broadcasted loudly to me. '_Silly, he's young enough to be my grandson! Too young to think of like that.' _

She put her magazine down. "Hello, can I help you?"

I turned on the charm and asked "Yes, Ma'am" Pointedly looking at her name tag, I went on. "Mrs. Cope, I mean. I need to get a room for a few days while I'm in town." I gave her my best smile careful not to show too much teeth.

Looking slightly dazed, she took my credit card and checked my driver's license. She gave me a receipt and turned to get my room key for me. I quickly noted where Bella's extra room key was.

The hotel phone rang and Mrs. Cope turned to answer it. I could clearly hear Alice's voice on the other line complaining about the service she had received as a guest there at the hotel. Mrs. Cope looked at me apologetically, held up a finger, and turned her back to me to take the call.

That was what Alice was talking about earlier. It was all the time I needed to reach and grab the key for Bella's room.

Ms. Cope was still on the phone when she turned back to me. I was already back in the same spot I was in before and grinned at her. I gave her a silent thank you and walked to the elevators. I could hear her thoughts as I walked away.

'_Walk slower, honey…'_ My mouth twitched again. Dirty old woman! She resumed apologizing to Alice.

It was excruciating going at such a slow speed. I wanted to run as fast as I could to see Bella.

***

I slowed down as I got to her door. I could smell the sweet floral aroma that was Bella and unfortunately faintly wet dog too. That meant he was obviously close by. Was he in her room? Had he been in her room? My monster started to snarl and gnash it's teeth. It was trying to lay claim to her. It was jealous.

I was conflicted once again as I slid the key silently into the lock. Should I go in? Should I invade her privacy? Would I be able to control myself? I listened for her breathing and her heartbeat. She was definitely sleeping.

I steeled myself, preparing for the onslaught to my senses, opened the door quickly and slid through shutting it quietly. She didn't hear the soft click of the door closing. She didn't hear death walking through her door.

Oh, the smell! Her scent was the most beautiful poison to my existence. My evil roared to life and the venom ran freely. The fire was all consuming in my veins. Immediately, thoughts of the most horrible nature ran through my head. But, I was resolved and clamped down on it with an iron vice pushing it away.

One thing I didn't smell was wet dog in her room. The evil wallowed in its delight. I quit breathing for a moment to get my bearings. I was strong and I was going to win this battle. Once again it was more important to save her life than take it.

I looked around her room taking in the lay of it. The open bathroom door was situated by the front door. There was a little hallway to get into the bedroom area. There was the chair from Alice's vision in the corner of the room. I went to sit on it so the temptation to touch her wouldn't be as strong. There was a red glow from the clock radio on the bedside table. Not that I needed it with my vampire vision. I could see plainly as if it were daylight in here. There was an ipod docked on it. My fingers itched to grab it and go through her playlists. I decided against it and turned back to gaze at the sleeping form on the bed.

She was lying on the bed all twisted in the sheets and comforter. I stared at the translucent skin on her beautiful neck and I could see the pulse throbbing at the base of her collarbone. I took a breath to test the waters, so to speak, and heat burst in the back of my throat but was manageable. Her glorious chestnut hair was spilled out loosely around her and it smelled of strawberries and cinnamon. Good, she had taken it out of that ridiculous ponytail. I found that I liked it down fanning around her. I felt something possessive stir in my non-existent soul.

Bella started to thrash around a bit and mumbled something about 'where'd he come from?' Then her head tossed around from side to side as her dream appeared to get more intense.

I wanted so badly to soothe her. I wanted to touch her, but every time she rustled around, the covers would fight to stay on the bed and more of her scent would waft up to me. My venom was trickling again so I shut my breathing down again.

Her heart was thunderously loud in her chest as her dreaming must have kicked up another notch. I could see her eyes darting erratically behind her delicate eyelids.

"Jake, no!" then "Edward!" Bella bolted up, opened her eyes and stared straight at me. They widened just as she turned to switch on the bedside lamp. I ran as fast as I could to the bathroom. She didn't see me.

There was the unmistakable sound of her and the lamp crashing to the floor. I cringed, trying to hold myself back from running to her to see if she was okay. I peeked around the door to see her picking herself up with a wince. She picked everything up and got back into bed.

She tossed for a few minutes before dropping back off to sleep. I listened for her breathing and once it slowed down I went back to my seat.

I watched her for another hour while she smiled sweetly and snuggled deeper into the bedding. What was she dreaming about?

I rose back up and headed for the door. Curiosity got the better of me as I stopped and un-docked her ipod. I quickly scanned her playlists and saw only two. One simply said 'get moving' and the other 'wake up'. I looked at 'wake up' and saw Debussy.

'_Are you kidding me?' _She knows Debussy? That was something. I quickly re-docked her ipod and quietly left her room.

I went to my room, conveniently located on the same floor as Bella, and called Alice. I would need all of my stuff brought here and could she manage to pack up for me? She told me of course and that Jasper had some information for all of us. I told her I would head back right now, and then we would discuss the findings.

The conversation with Alice was short. I knew the family would be upset with my decision to stay here, but, as I said, I felt the need to stay by Bella and protect her. If nothing, I would protect her from herself. I had already witnessed two tumbles since knowing her just half a day.

I left the hotel, dodging Mrs. Cope, and once again, ran back to my family awaiting the storm that was bound to hit.

**AN * I know I promised some sexy time, but it didn't develop into this chapter for me. I will update very soon and next chapter, I promise!**

**Please have patience for me as the sexy time will be my first. I am a repeat offender, Please review! I will respond! **


	6. Warning Flag

**Thank you Beth, I know you were tired and had your children trying to wear you as a robe when you beta'd this for me. I hope your virtual lawn chair comes with an endless supply of margaritas! You helped me so much! **

**I would like to point out that I am not a racing connoisseur. Edward likes to drive very fast and thought this story would be a good fit. I know that security is tighter at the real races, but in my world, Edward can go anywhere he would like to. **

**Also, my POV's hop considerably and hope you can keep up. I tried to switch them around, but couldn't make it happen. So, the flow is a little off. Even thought about splitting into separate chapters, but thought, naw! This is how it all came out. **

**Thank you to my new reviewers: HDMom and bbmom. **

**See my A/N below**

**Enough of my long ass ramblings. I hope you enjoy the show, and fasten your seatbelts chiquidas…**

WARNING FLAG ~ Chapter 6

**_EPOV_**

Once back at the hotel, everyone met up in Carlisle's room again.

Alice was staring at me with a big smile. "How was your visit? Did you chase the boogey man away?"

"You tell me, Alice." I smiled back. She was really going to be my ally in all of this. I knew I could count on her to help me out.

"Jazz, honey, could you calm yourself? Alice rubbed his back

Jasper was agitated, and sending off waves of anxiety. His thoughts were a jumble of wondering if we were going to have to fight them. He hadn't fought a werewolf before and wasn't sure what to do. He had been military in his human life and was by far the best strategist and fighter among us. He immediately apologized and began calming down.

Emmett relaxed the moment Jasper did. Rosalie had been quiet the whole time. Even the self-absorbed thoughts that typically flowed from her were hushed this morning.

Carlisle and Esme just waited in silence to hear Jasper's findings.

Jasper was staring at the laptop that he had brought up from his and Alice's room. "I Googled 'Wolf Racing' and found out that they are sponsored by the La Push Band of Quileute Indian Gaming Casino. Jake is actually Jacob Black, great grandson of Ephraim Black. His father Billy Black is the founder of the casino. They sponsor a lot of motor sports, but stock car racing is Jacob's area of expertise, second only to Supermoto. The crew consists of Quileute 'Wolf Pack' members: Isabella Swan, Jacob Black, Sam Uley, Seth Clearwater, Leah Clearwater, Quil Ateara, and Embry Call."

"Their pockets run deep enough to fund a stock car. That's for sure." Jasper related.

Carlisle was deep in thought. Then he stated. "Well, it appears that our old friends have done well for themselves. We haven't been back to the house in Forks for many years."

"So what does this mean for us?" Rosalie asked cutting to the chase.

"It means that the treaty we forged long ago should still be intact and we shouldn't have any problems with them. As long as we don't kill anyone, there won't be any issues." Carlisle paused, and then went on. "And since none of us have done that in a very long time, we'll all be safe. We will be able to go to the race in the morning and ignore them as they should ignore us."

At that, everyone decided to go back to his or her rooms and prepare for the upcoming day. I went to my room and found that Alice had indeed packed up my things so they could be taken to the new hotel. Tomorrow, I would tell the rest of the family about my decision to move to Bella's hotel. I decided to stay in my room here until it was time to go, and do a little more research on Bella Swan.

There wasn't much to go on, just some facts about her age and her parents. There was a long-standing friendship between her and Jacob Black. I figured I would question her about him later on.

*******

_**(Later that morning, still EPOV)**_

"Good morning, Isabella." I drawled out to her.

I had walked over to her garage for a quick fix. I found it exceedingly hard to stay away from her

The snarls came instantly. My eyes shifted to her crew who were all staring me down. One was even holding a large wrench with one hand while smacking it threateningly on to his palm. The realization hit me. They all were werewolves! All six of them!

I glanced quickly back at my family. They were just curiously checking them out. Well, almost all of them. Rosalie was hissing and glaring loathingly at them. She already hated them because of the threat they posed. The growls from the wolves only fueled the hatred.

Luckily, it was still very loud in the garages. We were the only ones that could hear them. And, from the look of it, they heard Rosalie all too well.

As Bella spun around to see me, her ankle turned the wrong way and down she started to go.

'_Not again.' _I thought to myself as I reached out to haul her back to rights. I quickly let go when the fresh round of snarling protests started all over again.

"Gah…you're lurking again!" She sputtered. She looked angry but it didn't quite reach those beautiful brown eyes of hers. She tried to fight a smile and lost.

I was not lurking! I had come right up to her plain as day.

"Yes well, I seem to do that a lot. Please forgive me for causing you to take a near spill once again." I gave her my best crooked grin. Growls again.

"I just wanted to come by and tell you good luck, Miss Swan."

Bella glared at her crew of wolves and said, "Well, anyway, thank you…again…for saving me from a broken ankle. And, good luck to you too."

More protests again from the pack, really, this was getting old. I ignored them. What were they going to do? They couldn't turn and they couldn't start a fight with me…too many witnesses.

I looked down at Bella, winked, and went back to my garage.

"All of the crew are 'were'" I threw at them as I went to get in my car.

Emmett did a mental knuckle crack and smiled an evil smile. I could hear him thinking that that had just upped the ante with Jasper and his bets. Neither one of them would let me in on the bet. When I asked them about it they would just think something else to keep me out.

Carlisle just said "extraordinary". He always liked a good mystery. He was thinking that there must be a link between them and us somehow.

***

_**BPOV  
**_

Early that morning the weather was muggy and overcast. The clouds were a muddy gray color and showed no signs of leaving. The stagnant air was unpleasant. Later in the day was supposed to be even balmier. This would make the asphalt of the track warm enough to make the tires really stick.

It was stifling in the cab of my car. I was in my jumpsuit and sweat was rolling down my back in fat droplets. My helmet was secured on and I was 'trapped' into my seat securely by the five-point harness. The crew pushed my car into position for the start of the race. All of the safeties had been checked, along with the gauges. The fuel was full, and tires were warmed up for maximum traction. I gave Jake the thumbs up; he did the same in turn, and ran off to get back to the pits. I was about to get my speed on.

Jake came through on the com-link and started in on my pep talk.

"Alright Bells, make sure you make only left turns this race. If you get confused, please feel free to stop at the pits and ask for directions. We'll be happy to point you in the right direction. Do not ask anyone else, they'll probably tell you to go right. You do need to 'pass GO and collect that two hundred dollars'!

I rolled my eyes. He had started in on his slap-shtick comedy routine mighty early in this one. He always knew how to quiet me before the oncoming storm.

"All right, all kidding aside. Watch for the green flag and drive the hell out of that animal! You've got 158 laps to go from here, so pace yourself." As an afterthought, he also added, "And Lord, help this fine young woman stay on the right side of the big bad scary wall…Amen"

"Why, thank you kind suh. I don't know what little ol' me would do with out such a fine strappin', gentleman such as yuh self." I did my best Penelope Pitstop impression that I could muster under the circumstances.

Next thing I heard was, "Drivers, start your engines."

The roar started as engines were ignited and revved. The Pace Car took up the front of the line and set off in the lead for the first lap. We all jockeyed around to get enough space to start speeding up.

For the next couple of hours, I battled my way through the other cars desperately trying to get the jump on them. I mind sang as I pushed my car as fast as it could go. Speed was my crack!

I narrowly missed a harrowing accident that caused the yellow warning flag to go up. I couldn't believe my luck on that one. The race slowed to a boring crawl as the pace car came onto the track for the next three laps.

Jake called me into the pits and we got to take our time for a few minutes instead of the usual 15 seconds spent scurrying to get the servicing done. I was able to replenish some of the water my body had lost from all the sweating. Once the crew was done, I got back out onto the track and saw Edward's car for the first time.

Amazingly enough, even through the sweltering heat and vibrations of the car, I felt a cold shiver run through my body. The cold trickled down my spine as if frosty cold fingers were tickling me. What a curious feeling. I had never felt that way about anyone. It was an odd connection. I decided once the race was over, I was going to sneak away to talk to him again.

I found myself chasing after him, much like my dream last night. Only this time there was no evil black car trying to push me into the wall. I was determined to catch him. I shadowed his every move.

It was like watching a marvelously orchestrated symphony as he drove. He managed to miss any accidental "rubs". In fact it almost seemed as if he knew they were coming. He knew just when to shoot around the car in front of him, whether it was on the inside or outside. I knew he could see me right on his tail, but he made no excesses for me and kept me hopelessly trapped behind him.

Before I knew it, the white flag was out signaling that there was one lap left in the race. Unbelievably, Edward slowed just a bit and I saw my chance. I shot around him and passed him up by two cars. _Woo hoo…as_ Jake started yelling in my ear!

***

_**(Back at the beginning of the race from EPOV)**_

The crew pushed the car into my starting position on the track and ran back to the pits. I saw Bella right away and felt possessive all over again. I shook it off telling myself this is what she loved to do.

Jasper came over the com and started getting all inspirational on me. He quoted me some Reverend Jessie Jackson, Muhammad Ali, and some John F. Kennedy. Something about having a dream, floating like a butterfly and fear itself. I smiled at his attempt to pump me up. Alice was relaying her visions to me through her thoughts.

With my enhanced senses, I had no problems juggling the tasks of listening to the both of them as well as watching out in front of me. I could even scan out around me and hear the thoughts of the other drivers. That was how I stayed one step ahead of the wrecks. That was how I kept Bella behind me to protect her from any oncoming accidents.

She was amazingly talented at driving. I watched her find me after the first big wreck. She pitted after me and then caught up with me behind the pace car. Once the caution flag was raised, the pace car left the track and the race was back on.

She was stuck to the back of me. She really wanted in front of me and I had to laugh.

Laughing wasn't something I did very often anymore. But, in the last 24 hours, I had laughed and smiled more than I could remember in my hundred some odd years.

The white flag was shown and that meant only one more lap. I checked in with Jasper and he told me to back off a little bit. I only had to slow minutely in order to hang back enough to not draw any unwanted attention. That gave Bella the chance to move around me and finish the race two positions ahead of me.

I had heard Jake's words of encouragement to Bella this morning. And, at the waving of the checkered flag, I could hear him through Bella's helmet com again. He was screaming at her that she was in twelfth position. I smiled for her again. That now meant that she was ahead of me by two cars, an increase from yesterday. That also meant more points for her. I was proud of her. She really was an extraordinary driver.

Next thing I heard was Jacob hollering at her how she had beat that Mother F…

"Jacob Black!" I heard her shush at him.

Foul language was a big violation. They could be fined and possibly lose some points. Their com was public and others including the spectators could hear what he was saying. I laughed out loud again. He mumbled he was sorry and to hurry up and get her butt back to the garage.

I coasted my car back to my bay and waiting family. Rosalie wanted the whole story of how the car handled and I gave her my report. Emmett grabbed me in a huge bear hug, while Jasper slapped me on the back.

Alice flitted about just enjoying the moment. Every few minutes or so, she would daze out and smile again. Every once in a while she would frown too. That caught my interest more than anything.

When I asked her about it, she said that Bella kept fading in and out of her vision and couldn't understand it. She also asked me if it would be okay for her to meet Bella when she came over for a visit in about an hour.

"What?" I asked. "She's coming over here?" I hadn't even decided when I was going to try to go talk to Bella again.

"Yes, silly." She said. She got that dreamy look again and said "Let's also make sure Rosalie does a tool count later on."

I frowned at her, but kept my thoughts to myself. When Alice said something, you usually just heeded it.

I went to help pack up our gear while keeping tabs on Bella's whereabouts through other's minds. Since I couldn't read her thoughts, I needed them. At one point, she disappeared. I felt the bottom drop out of my stomach. I stopped what I was doing and looked around frantically because I couldn't 'see' her.

Since the wolves didn't look like they were concerned about where she was, I realized that I didn't need to worry so much. A few seconds later, she emerged from the bathroom changed out of her jumpsuit. I breathed a sigh of relief, recognizing that I worried way too much for her. I casually went back to the task before me.

Alice's thoughts alerted me to Bella's impending presence.

I watched her make her way over to us and as she got closer, I could hear distinct growls coming from her crew in her bay. She turned back to look at them, and appeared to be doing some kind of downward waving motion to them. I strangled a laugh. It looked like she was commanding her pet dogs to "stay".

Jake looked like he was going to have a seizure watching Bella walk away. Everyone else was more guarded with his or her looks. The one named Seth was the only one that wasn't sure what he wanted to think. His thoughts were the only ones that weren't murderous. The girl looked down right ferocious.

Bella's scent hit us all like a jackhammer.

Alice said, "Oh, she does smell good." Jasper quickly held his breath.

"Here comes the human!" Esme said so low under her breath, that only we could hear. She seemed thrilled.

"Hi, Edward," Bella greeted me.

The flames in my throat were at a dull roar this time since I had been exposed to her deliciousness a lot more during the last several hours. No venom this time. The rest of the family seemed to be fairing okay, as well, once the initial shock of her smell had passed.

She was wearing a light blue tank top with a white lace one peeking out underneath it and some very short denim shorts. Her long pale legs had a positively indecent amount of skin showing. She had that after-race flush on her. Her hair was pulled back into that hated ponytail.

I understood that it was a necessity due to what she had done today, and with the heat of the day. But, my fingers did itch to pull her hair free. That would be too familiar given that I had only known her for a day. Still…

She was breathtaking and I couldn't help but gawk at her. I was finally able to say hi back to her, but that was all I could muster. I looked her up and down which brought that gorgeous blush onto her face. When my gaze reached her feet, I saw she had on a navy blue pair of old clunky converse sneakers. That just added to her charm.

I realized I still wasn't speaking and started the introductions. "Bella, I would like you to meet my family. The big guy over there is my brother Emmett."

"Sup, Bella?"

"That is my sister Rosalie next to him." Rose looked straight into Bella's eyes and nodded tight-lipped at her.

Carlisle walked over and put his arm around his Esme.

"This is my mother, Esme."

Smiling, Esme said, "Hello Bella, it is nice to meet you".

"That is my dad, Carlisle."

Carlisle smiled reservedly and said, "Hi, Bella, Edward told us he had met you." Bella smiled back.

"This is my other brother Jasper." He turned up his lips into a smile, tipped his ball cap and went back to looking busy.

Alice came right up to Bella introducing herself. "Hi Bella, I'm Alice. I'm Edward's sister too." With that, she pulled Bella into a hug that she awkwardly returned.

"Alice…"

It was then that I heard Jake's thoughts loud and clear broadcasting what they were going to do to get Bella's attention back to them.

*******

_BPOV_

I saw Edward tense up and his jaw tightly snapped shut. He quickly looked up past me a split second before I heard it. It was the deafening and distinct sound of rabid fangirls squealing. I whipped my head around in the direction of the woo-hooing.

What I saw next was nothing short of an outdoor Chippendales show. My wolves were washing down the fiberglass shell of the racecar. They had hauled it out and had it sitting on a portable lift out in the open. That was weird. We don't wash it like that, and, this was not something normally done outdoors.

Now, I'm woman enough to appreciate the sight of prime male flesh but this was new. I have been a buddy with these guys a long time, and not once had I seen them in this particular light.

Jake is a big guy, about 6'7", and clearly the biggest of them all. Not that any of the guys were much smaller. They had turned up AC/DC's, 'You Shook Me all Night Long', and were hosing down the shell preparing to get the grime off.

They all had unzipped their jumpsuits and had them tied by the sleeves low around their waists. They all had on either white or gray wife-beaters and were proceeding to get very wet by Leah who, incidentally, was wearing the same thing.

She was in charge of the hose apparently. I swear the whole scene played out in slow motion, kind of like one of those car wash scenes you've seen in a 'B' movie. The guys were running around whooping and hollering smacking each other with the towels they were using.

They all had the most beautiful russet colored skin and dark black hair. The water glistened off the taut muscles of their arms. All of them were soaked by now. The transparent tanks clung to their heavenly cut abs. As they soaped up the sides and top of the shell, they were dragging the front of their bodies, mainly the lower halves, up against the fiberglass in a kind of grinding motion.

Jake stopped and grabbed a bottle of water to drink. I watched as he licked his lips, brought the bottle to them and flexed his arm as it angled up. You could see his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, as he took long pulls from the mouth of said bottle. He had a long smudge of grease on the underside of his raised arm running from his bicep to his forearm and it was damn sexy. There were a few other smudges on his chest and one on his cheek.

When he had drained the bottle, he threw it into the trash barrel mimicking a basketball player making a perfect free throw. He even acted like one. He whooped again and flexed for his friends. More muscles popped out on this chest making his pectorals dance.

The completely soaked through beater showed off black twin wolf tattoos that were inked across his pecs. The wolves faced each other and the tribal scrolling wrapped around them and down the sides of his torso, dipping past the top of the jumpsuit. That left a lot to the imagination of just where they stopped.

I swear some of the girls watching swooned. They were fanning themselves trying to catch a breeze to cool themselves off. Each of the guys had some sort of tattoos with common themes. Except for Leah. If she had any, I had never seen them. Trust me, none of them had problems showing some skin, so if she did have any, they were really well hidden.

By now the song had changed to Queen's, 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. Some of guys had taken their hair out of their ponytails and were letting their hair flow freely down the middle of their backs. Their wet hair was wildly sticking to them and only added to the effect. As the fast lead guitar solo came on, Seth and Quil were rocking out doing a head banging show with Leah still hosing them down. Sam and Embry were doing some sort of sexy air guitar duo together. I snorted…air guitar was never sexy.

When they were done soaping up the car and it got rinsed off, they all turned their attention to Leah. Leah's eyes bulged as they advanced on her. She turned to run with a yelp, but wasn't quick enough. They easily caught her and Seth snatched the hose away from her while Sam and Quil restrained her. Now it was her turn to get drenched. Instantly the crowd of lookey-loos increased in men.

They whooped and hollered for the guys to get her. Luckily, she had two tank tops on for some modesty. They clung to her body showing off her 'assets' extremely well. Her now wet hair was clinging to her front and a long curl had wrapped itself halfway around one of her breasts. She had a very lean and muscled physique. Her shape was incredibly impressive. Apparently the crowd of guys thought so too, but once the wolves noticed them ogling her, playtime was over.

They released her, faced the crowd and did some sort of flexy type thing where guys puff out their chests and jiggle them around a little. They cracked their necks and stared hard at the guys that were making comments.

The girls in the crowd were in a fit of hysteria staring at the guy's packed muscles, but the message was clear to the other men. Leah just shook her head in disgust at the show of testosterone.

Once they were satisfied that the men had gotten the idea and left, they finished drying the fiberglass and brought out the waxers. The crowd slowly dispersed once the wolves were done. Some of the girls lingered trying to get noticed, but once they figured out that they weren't going to get the time of day, they finally walked away to see the other garages.

I didn't realize that I was holding my breath until I let it out in a whoosh. I started to fidget self-consciously and picked up a few shiny objects, examining them with out really knowing what they were.

I looked apologetically at Edward's family who was looking on with mixed looks of awe and disgust on their faces.

All of the girls were standing so still they could have been statues. Their mouths were slightly parted open and they were all breathing a little heavy judging by the rapid movements of their chests.

The men were all standing just as still, but had completely revolted looks on their faces. All of them except Carlisle had their noses scrunched up like they all smelled the worst stench on this earth. Carlisle was standing there serenely with an indiscriminate grin on his face. The show wasn't affecting him like it was everyone else.

He turned to me a said, "Bella, I think your guys are trying to get your attention".

I quickly muttered that it was nice to meet everyone and stalked off to let my crew have it.

***

**_EPOV_**

I was completely disgusted by the show. I turned at the sound of Carlisle's voice talking to Bella. I stared down at her not realizing the look on my face. She was tomato red and mumbled that it was nice to meet everyone as she ran off. I did appreciate the view as she swiftly walked back to her wolves. I thought back to last evening with Mrs. Cope and thought the same thing.

'_Walk a little slower, honey_…_wait, is that one of Rose's brand new wrenches in her back pocket?'_

**A/N~**

**Okay, I know I took some huge liberties, but I couldn't help it. Out here where I live there are lots of Indian Casino's so it seemed plausible that they could fund motorsports. It all seemed to evolve this way. The race is over and I see some fun times coming up once they all find themselves back in Forks for some R&R. Maybe Bella's snooping might just figure out the Cullen's secret? Alice might just figure out the reason she can't see Bella consistently****. **

**What did you all think about the wolves little show? Let me know.**


	7. The Chase

**EJ Santry you are the bb's in my gun! Thank you once again for your beta skills, nunchuk skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills…**

**Everyone, go read Diseased Affair and Emergency! EJ's on my profile. Her story, Emergency!, is hottt and is entered in the 'Forbidden Love Affair' contest on Goldentemptress' profile. Voting ends 5-8-09 so hurry!**

**Steph72, once again, my general fear of your death threats, keep me constantly thinking about this story and my safety. Love you so! ;o )=**

**All right my friends. It has been a while so please enjoy. Don't be shy about letting me know what you think. Review or PM me. I love to hear from everyone! **

**That's long enough, so here it goes!**

Chapter 7 ~ The Chase

**===Bella===**

"Jake! What the hell are you guys doing?" I hissed through gritted teeth once I had gotten back to our garage bay. Jake grabbed me into a big hug getting me all wet down the front. Yelping in protest, I slapped at him hard on the shoulders. My hands stung from hitting him on wet skin. He quickly dropped me back on my feet.

"Told you Bells, I don't want you hanging around that guy!" He tried to look serious, but failed when a grin cracked his face. "Besides, we just wanted to put on a little show for the ladies." His voice dropped an octave on the last word. Leah snorted. "Well, maybe not all of us."

"Seriously? Why would you do that? That exhibition of yours was ridiculous!" I railed at him. "And, unless you can give me something to go on, sorry, Jake, no can do. Edward's a nice guy."

"Edward? What, you're on a first name basis now?" He didn't look happy again as his eyes darkened. "Look, Bella, I can't explain this feeling I have about him," he gestured towards the others, "that all of us have about him."

Everyone nodded in agreement. I groaned. "Not you guys too?"

Sam was the first to speak up. "Please, Bella, we can't really tell you what to do, but, listen to Jacob. All of our instincts are telling us that he's not one of the good guys." They all exchanged looks that I didn't understand and nodded in agreement again.

Not sure how to handle the situation, I waived them off. "Honestly guys, Leah too," I looked pointedly at her. "You've all pretty much ruined any chance of getting to know him or his family now. So, if you're done, let's get cleaned up so we can get back to Forks. I miss Charlie something fierce!"

They all seemed mollified, and then turned giddy as a few of them gave out a huge _whoop_ and started cleaning up as fast as they could. We were going home.

Wistfully, I checked back over my shoulder towards the Cullens to see Edward gazing at me. Alice flitted over to him, garnering his attention by talking to him while alternately sneaking peeks at me. Suddenly she squealed and grabbed Edward in a hug bigger than she was._ Did she just do the Cabbage Patch? Wait...Did she just pick him up?_ She couldn't weigh more than 95 pounds!

"Hey, Bella, what's in your back pocket by the way?" Leah asked.

Reaching behind and grabbing my back pockets with both hands, I held up a shiny new wrench that I had apparently filched from Rosalie. _Oh, God, I did it again_. Another souvenir _taken_ with out thought.

**===Edward===**

"So, off to Forks, Edward?" Alice predicted rather than asked. She knew. She always knew. "Bella's going back to see her father. Do you remember Charlie Swan, the Chief of Police?"

"Yes, Alice, I remember him. I figured out who he was when Bella started talking about him last night at the track."

It had been a quite some years since we had been to Forks. After Alice, Jasper and I had _matriculated_ once again, we had left to pursue racing. I did recall Chief Swan, but had never had an encounter with him. Carlisle must have known him when he was the Chief of Staff at Forks hospital.

"Do I really need to answer that? Yes, I plan to go to Forks."

Alice squealed loud enough to bring the rafters down as only she can.

"Yes! Were going to For-orks! I've missed being there so much. Esme will love opening the mansion back up!" She actually did a little _Cabbage Patch_ dance. Then, as an afterthought added, "oooh, I've got some shopping to do before we go back. The house has been closed for far too long."

With that, Alice gave me a hug pulling me completely off my feet. "That means you might get the chance to get Rose's wrench back before she or Esme inventories and realize it's gone."

***

Back in my new room next door to Bella's, I couldn't help but wonder at what the mythological trio had in store by bringing the beautiful Miss Swan into my life. The fact that we had a house in Forks, where her father and her lived was, and had to be fickle fate. A fate, in which I fully intended to embrace. I planned to get to know her once I figured out how a _chance _encounter with her would play out.

Pressed up against the wall that separated us, I could hear Bella in her room. She had no idea that I was so close. Still not being able to read her thoughts frustrated me beyond reason. As the night wore on, I listened to her putter around her room, even make phone calls to her dad confirming her plans to go home.

The resounding swish of her sliding between her sheets let me know she had gotten into bed. I wanted more than anything at that moment to be those sheets. _Oh, to caress and wrap myself around her as a lover would_. _To touch that alabaster skin and warm her body as mine never could._

Her breathing evened and her heart rate slowed, leaving no doubt that I could sneak in to her room undetected again. Quickly, so that the soft light from the hallway wouldn't spill in, I quietly stole into her room. The soft click of the door left me listening for signs of her wakening. She didn't wake but did turn her body from her side to her back.

Sitting down in the corner chair again as I had last night, I watched over my sweet Isabella as she slept. A few times she mumbled incoherently. She did thrash around a bit. Once, she even put both hands up in a driving stance and jerked it to the right like she was trying to miss something.

_Tsk, tsk, Bella, that's the wrong direction._

Chuckling, I was about to leave, when she suddenly yelled out my name like she did the night before. That stopped me dead in my tracks. _What was she dreaming?_ Her face trained into a tight grimace. Unable to stop myself, I went to her side of the bed and caressed her cheek.

A hiss escaped me from the electric contact. The momentary bliss that I immediately felt was overwhelming. Bella instantly turned her face into my palm and smiled. She sighed and her eyes fluttered open.

Shocked, I froze into place. I remained stock still as she parted her lips and murmured, "Edward. Where'd the black car come from? My stupid hero." Her eyelids drifted shut again as her eyebrows drew into a tight line.

She was talking to me in her sleep. Smiling, I played along. "What black car, love?" This was a dangerous game I was playing right now.

"The one with the blood red 'V' on it. The one you saved me from." My breath seized as my smile faded.

Surely it couldn't be! She had to be talking about some random car in her dream. "It's all right, love, I'll always protect you." On a whim, I reached down to ghost a kiss on her brow. "Go back to sleep, Sweets."

A smile returned to her pouty lips again. "M'kay." Her breathing evened out showing me she was back in deep sleep.

I let myself out of her room and headed next door to mine. My phone was vibrating in my pocket as soon as I hit the hallway. It didn't surprise me that it was Alice.

"Is Bella okay? I saw her having another nightmare like last night." Alice sounded worried.

"Yeah, she's fine. She's calm now and back to sleeping deeply."

"I _saw_ Bella dreaming about the Volterra car. As far as I know, they are still racing the European circuit." She tried to muffle the phone and hissed at Jasper, "_She's fine"._

_"I _don't see them coming to America, but you know how things change."

"Let's hope not. That's not something any of us want or need. I'm coming back so we can get on the road to Forks before anyone else does." I didn't close my phone in time to miss Alice's rather drum-splitting cry of delight.

A plan began winding its way through my mind. While thinking of all the possibilities available in Forks, my demon chortled and rubbed its cloven hands together in sinister satisfaction. The chase was on!

***

**===Bella===**

Emblazoned on the large azure-blue city limit sign was, _**The City of Forks Welcomes You.**_ Relief crashed through as I read the familiar city sign. Strange that I felt a sudden rejuvenation even if it was dark out and raining. _Go figure_.

Jacob let out a huge yawn next to me on the over-stuffed leather couch in our bus and closed his eyes again as he sprawled out once again.

_Eww, dog breath!_

I had slept off and on since our trip home began. The driver was instructed to take me home to Charlie's first. We pulled up to the front curb and the bus emitted the telltale hissing sound from the hydraulics and the air brakes bleeding out. The bus was posh, but a monstrosity when it came to getting around on these smaller side streets. How the driver made it look so damn effortless, was beyond me. Once again, I was happy to be driving a mid size car for a living.

The white, two-story ranch style home positively glittered with life and never looked so inviting. Since Sue Clearwater had moved in with my dad, she must have put up new curtains because a warm bronze shone from the windows letting me know they were still up. There were also dark flower pots hanging from the front porch. Another sign of a woman's touch.

Doing a quick check on my iPod for the time, it was 1:30 in the morning. Guilt reined supreme because it was far too late for both of them to be up.

Hopping out of the front door of the bus, I relished the sight of my house. It had been too long since I had last been home. Jake had woken up enough to grab a few of my bags. My essentials were slung over my shoulder in a backpack. Gentleman that he was, he walked me to the front door and quickly grabbed a hug from me while we said our goodbyes with the promise to call later. Jake was in a hurry to get home to Nessie and I didn't blame him.

With a sigh, I turned towards the merrily painted cranberry colored door. Just as I was about to use my key, the front door swung open and I was swept up in a rush of arms and kisses in my hair.

"Bella, we are so happy you're home!" came the muffled declaration from Sue. My dad, as usual, was standing to the side rubbing the back of his neck waiting for his turn to hug me. He was still very reserved when it came to showing his feelings. That was okay. That was Charlie. Once Sue had released me, my dad opened his arms welcoming me home.

"We're both glad to have you home, Bells." His hug was strong and so warm, like a father's should be. It was home. I stayed right there in that spot while I smelled his spicy aftershave and felt his mustache tickle the top of my head where he placed a quick kiss. He released me after a quick tightening.

"Your room is ready upstairs. You've got to be tired. Sue took down your old blinds and put in some lacy girly ones. Otherwise, it should look the same," he said.

"Yeah, I'm pretty tired after 3 days on that bus," I affirmed.

"Well, we can all catch up in the morning after we've all had some rest." Sue shooed us all up the stairs and off to bed.

Charlie grabbed my bags before we trudged up the stairs to my room. He put them just inside the door and wished me goodnight. I flopped my backpack on the wooden floor and fell onto my bed with out even changing.

The bed sank down to envelope me in its warm fluffy arms like it had been missing me for years. _Mmm...a new down comforter. Thank you, Sue! _Through tired, gritty eyes, I looked around and decided it was best to at least pull off my shoes and pants to throw on some PJ's.

As I grudgingly rolled out of my bed, I heard giggling and shushing coming from the vicinity of my dad's room. _Great, that's not embarrassing at all! Q-tips soaked in bleach wouldn't be enough to clean out my ears!_

I shuffled over to my door and closed it with out any sound. Quickly, I threw my clothes off, threw on some jammies, put my iPod ear buds in, slid into heaven and threw the comforter over my head. It didn't take long to drop off to sleep.

That night, I dreamt about the conversations I had had with Jake about legends of his tribe. He told me old Quileute legends about the evil called the _Cold_ _Ones_ and how his ancestors had shifted into wolves to kill them by tearing them apart and burning the pieces. I wasn't sure why he chose to tell me about those legends, but I was always happy to listen to him when he would recite them. His story struck a cord deep within me.

Whispers of chilly hands touching me, caressing my face and snowy lips kissing my forehead seeped through the fog of my dream and eventually, it turned to Edward Cullen.

He walked with me through the mossy emerald woods behind my house. A crooked smile graced Edward's crystalline lips as we held hands. His smile turned curiously wicked as he started to pull me forcefully down a rutted path littered with darkly rotten debris and gnarled roots meant to trip me up. I couldn't keep up with him anymore as he practically dragged me through the swirling mists and spoiling foliage.

Edward let go and suddenly disappeared, leaving me sliding and skidding in the wet quagmire that the trail had turned in to. I started running and slipping on the muddy path to keep up with him, but he was gone. I broke through the trees to a widened area, stumbling as I went.

The clearing was a verdant garland-green meadow with abundant wild flowers dotting the rolling grounds. Swirling mists encircled and shrouded Edward as he stood in the middle of it all with his back to me.

Calling out softly to him, he slowly turned around. His eyes were black as exhaust smoke against the bruised backdrop of his bottom eyelids. Edward smiled a sharp knowing smile as he acknowledged me, showing me all of his gleaming teeth. I faltered backed a step as I realized something was not right. His smile was almost...greedy. He hissed as I drew back a few more steps and his baled eyes tracked my every movement like a hawk tracking a field mouse.

I felt the overwhelming need to run and as I turned away, my sneakers refused to find purchase on the slick grass. All of a sudden, I felt Edward's feathery breath in my ear as he whispered, "run, my little Bella, please run, for fear only makes you taste sweeter..."

**Cliffie, I know. **

**Now, I have a question for you all. How do you think Bella and Edward should 'run' in to each other in Forks? And, should she find out what he is all in the same chapter? **

**Review or PM me to let me know. You might just see it in the next chapter with a shout out to you.**


	8. Scoring Points

**Scoring points ~ Chapter 8 SM owns.**

**===Bella===**

Next morning, the colored skyline was crammed full of cottony gunmetal-grey clouds. Muddy light bathed me as it spilled itself over my rum-dumb, half-asleep form. Sue had put new curtains on the windows in an attempt to girly up my room. I had to admit, they did spruce up the place. My gritty eyes drooped to a slit as I surveyed the racing trophies and plaques along the walls. All of the things I'd collected over the years surrounded me in a blanket of happiness. A huge grin broke my lips.

I was home!

My collected _beauties _all rested upon shelves lining three walls. The only space not taken up was the door and windows. There were odd pieces of rubber from blown tires, sheared off lug nuts, a broken muffler, a door panel, even a piece of a hood from my favorite driver. That was just one wall. Two more walls sported more shelves of _cheese _I had _collected_. I felt the familiar tickle of my inner pack rat's whiskers twitch and it's toothy smile of satisfaction.

Sue had to have recently dusted off my gems. They gleamed even in this wan light. I tried not to be a '_who moved my cheese'_ kind of gal, but I did feel a twinge of possessiveness that someone else had touched my stuff. Oh well, they were dusted and I wasn't me that did it. She deserved a big thank you when I saw her.

Time was unimportant because nothing was more pressing than what I was doing right now. So, I snuggled deeper into my covers as the birds outside start to twitter. I tried to settle back into sleep, but my heart sputter-thudded to life as the memory of last night's dream seeped though my mind. Edward's eyes had glowed black as crows and his grisly smile displayed his glittering teeth. _Run_…

The replay sent a tingle down my spine. Mentally, I shook it off. It was just another one of my bizarro dreams I had been having the last few nights.

What really got my attention was the fact I hadn't emptied my bladder since late yesterday. I tried to hold out as long as I could, but nature was now tap-dancing on my abdomen. With a loud protest from my heavy sand-bag limbs, I rolled out of bed, grabbed my robe and headed to the one bathroom this house possessed.

Blindly, I pushed through the door only to realize it wasn't empty. In fact, one towel-clad female and one not so towel-clad male occupied it.

An obviously showered Sue yelped and Charlie yelled, "Bells, oh my God!", as he yanked a towel off the counter and quickly wrapped it around himself. "Geez, uh, kiddo...we forgot to lock the door." My dad flamed more stop sign-red than I usually do.

"Sorry!" And, with that, I yanked the door shut, bladder momentarily forgotten, and ran back to my room as fast as I could and shut the door. _Oh God, I had just seen Charlie's naked butt!_

A soft knock resounded from behind the wood.

"Yes?" I tried to sound nonchalant.

"You can use the bathroom now. We're, um, out now," came Charlie's deeply embarrassed reply.

"M'kay, thanks." I didn't know what else to say. Thankfully, he shuffled off and I heard their door close. The coast was clear, so I ran in to finish my business, took a quick shower and introduced my mouth to the toothbrush. By the time I was done, the smell of bacon and eggs were wafting up from the kitchen.

Even though my stomach was rumbling and my mouth was watering, I took my time going downstairs. Going down there meant I had to face them after seeing my dad's bare-naked hiney. There was no way around it, so I went in the kitchen and was taken aback by the warm intimate scene that splayed out in front of me.

My dad was sitting at the table with a newspaper while Sue bustled around the kitchen making breakfast. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail and she was wearing faded jeans and a pink long sleeve top. Charlie was wearing a flannel shirt and old jeans with his old ratty slippers I had given him about ten years ago. His cup of coffee was still steaming and instantly my need for caffeine kicked in. Sue was my savior and gave me a big ceramic mug to hold while she poured me a cup of liquid awareness.

She winked at me and told me to have a seat. Grateful to her, I sank down next to my dad who was completely hiding behind his paper. Telltale signs of embarrassment were showing above his flannel collar. Sue slid a plate in front of me with burnt bacon, scrambled eggs, lob glob gravy and dough-god biscuits. Picking up my fork, I tested the tines, because I was about to shovel in food like someone was going to try and steal it from me. I only slowed down when Charlie cleared his throat and snapped his paper without looking at me.

"Bells, the thing is, well, um, you know that…". He was utterly stymied.

"It's, uh, cool, dad. Just leave it be. I would like to." I stammered. I did not want to have this conversation with him at all. Ever.

Charlie let his breath out in a rush. He was very relieved. So was I. Sue put a plate in front of him and sat down to eat also. Once we were all done, I picked up the plates, and much to Sue's annoyance, washed the dishes. When I was done, I remembered to thank Sue for sprucing up my treasures and we spent the rest of the morning catching up.

***

The dreary day was still a most welcoming sight to me as I slid into the driver's seat and started up my old rusty Chevy. The crackly pleather seat sank down to mold to my body as the engine creaked, shuddered and wheezed to life. A huge ozone-killing cloud of black smoke spewed out of the tail pipe and I sighed with contentment.

The residential streets of Forks were such a beautiful picture. Everyone's lawns, trees and bushes were all so lush and green. I planned to go into town today to go to the Clallum County Department of Transportation. Of all things, I needed to renew my driver's license. Wouldn't that be funny, given my career, if I let it expire? Salvation Station Bookstore was calling my name too. My brain needed to load up on some new reading material.

Once my truck was finished belching out it's offending layer of smog, I put it in reverse but had to slam on the brakes and yank the shifter knob back into park, as a silver Volvo suddenly appeared behind me.

"Stupid shiny Volvo driver!" I yelled at whoever it was. My window was up, so it was impossible they could have heard me. An electric shiver danced it's way up my spine again for the second time today. Whoever it was, they continued to slowly creep by. Their windows were tinted so dark, I couldn't see who the hell the driver was.

Throwing the truck back in reverse, I watched over my shoulder as I backed out more slowly this time. Safely on my way, I silently prayed that the truck would make it. Charlie had told me he started it every now and again, just to keep it running. He is a wonderful cop, but wrenching, I'm pretty sure, was not his forte. Jake would need to take a look at my baby before our ten days were up in our corner of heaven.

The Transportation Department was a nightmare and I'm pretty sure my new picture on my license would be quite hysterical. The lady taking the picture was less than accomodating as a runaway eyelash speared my eye and started to water and twitch the instant the picture was snapped. One person in there even asked me for my autograph, which I happily signed, but was hoping to just get away without attracting any more attention to myself. No such luck. That drew the attention of a few other people in there. I pasted a smile on my face telling myself to not be ungrateful. Once the crowd dispersed, I was happily on my way to the bookstore that was a whole two and a half miles away.

Musty old book smell assaulted and teased my nose me as soon as I entered the bookstore. Dusty covers tickled my sinuses in the Early American literature section. My fingers danced across the upright crackled spines looking for books I wanted to buy. The _well-loved _section of this store had always been a favorite of mine when I came back for a visit. A few prized selections were made and purchased before I was on my way to La Push to see my favorite wolf.

On the road once again, Hwy 101 stretched on towards the reservation. There wasn't a lot of traffic along the way, so I was free to drive slowly and enjoy the afternoon. As I rolled to a stop at a two-lane stop sign, I looked in my side view mirror to see a silver sedan ride up next to me. My mouth dropped a fraction of an inch. It was that same damn Volvo from earlier. I was sure of it. The windows were tinted a deep limo black and even the front windshield seemed to be a shade darker than what could possibly be legal.

I swore I glimpsed a swatch of bronze hair. The visor was down on the driver's side, obscuring the top half of the driver's face. I squinted to see more in the faltering sunlight, but couldn't really make out any features other than the occupant was obviously male.

The driver gunned his engine and nosed the car ahead of me by an inch or so several times while standing on the brakes. The Volvo lurched forward with each rev of the engine, trying to engage me in a race.

_Why would he do that? Who did he think he was? _

Just then the errant driver swerved too closely towards my baby.

"That's it!" I shouted at him. I put the pedal to the medal on the gas and the old engine roared for it's frenzied life. I let off the brakes, squealing one tire as it tried to find traction on the slick pavement. The old Chevy took off like a bat out of hell…for about thirty feet. The engine just couldn't take it and had a heart attack right there on the 101.

"No, no, no! Come on, baby. Just get me a little bit farther to La Push and to Jakey." I apologized while petting the dash like a puppy, but to no avail. In my fit of fury, I had just killed my best friend. My faded Chevy was giving up the proverbial ghost. She clunked and gave a death rattle as I limped her to the side of the road. The engine ran backwards and let out one last huge bilge of pewter grey carbon smoke that settled on the Volvo as it pulled up behind me. _Ha! Take that!_

It was then that I realized what a hot headed, stupid thing I had just done and a sliver of fear pulsed through my body. I had no idea who that man was, so I locked my door, afraid to even look in the mirror as he approached my side of the truck.

Slowly, I looked out my driver's side window and was shocked stupid by the unbelievably gorgeous man smirking at me through his sunglasses.

"Edward Cullen!" I growled at him. "This is not funny! And, what the hell are you doing here?"

This was all said to him through my closed window and instantly, I felt all the more stupid for it.

He obviously heard me because, now he was shaking with laughter.

I furiously rolled my window down to yell at him some more, but was struck dumb when he took off his sunglasses and looked straight into my eyes.

Those eyes! They were a swirling mixture of shine and golden fleece that bore straight into my quavering soul. These eyes were full of laughter and mirth. Unlike the obsidian demon eyes from my dream. My mouth actually began to water as I shopped slowly down the aisle of his body, taking in his scarred black leather jacket, faded t-shirt, distressed jeans and finally onto the tips of his scuffed black shoes peeking out beneath his cuffs. _Oh, yes please. Clean up on aisle four. There's been a spill. _He looked scrumptious. Who dressed this man?

Then my anger came back full force. "Cullen, don't you dare laugh! YOU are an accessory to murder!"

His falsely angelic face fell. "Bella, I was only joking around with you. Who knew you would actually take the bait and try to race me in…this." Edward gestured towards my rigamorting truck.

"Don't you even look at my baby! If you hadn't pushed me, this wouldn't have happened. Now, what am I going to do?" I threw my hands up in the air, effectively smacking them on the cab of the truck. "Ouch!"

"Are you okay?" He looked like he wanted to reach through the window, but changed his mind and stuck his hands back in his pockets.

"I'm fine, no thanks to you."

Pulling my cell phone out to call Jake to come get me, Edward stopped me by grabbing my phone.

"At least let me take you to my house so we can get Emmett's Jeep to tow it somewhere," he offered. "It's the least I can do, seeing as how I goaded you into truck-slaughter one."

"Well…I guess you do owe me since you did facilitate a crime against the elderly."

Edward seemed pleased by my answer. He opened my door as was I grabbed my keys and gathered my things, before getting out. I was starting to shiver in the late afternoon temperature, so he quickly led me to his car and opened the door for me.

I almost held in my laughter at the layer of aged muffler dust on his once shiny Volvo. Almost. He shut the door and walked very quickly to his side and got in. Too quickly.

His smell hit me like a gunshot blast. It was delicious and there were no words to describe its sweetness. I leaned away from him before I embarrassed myself by licking his cheek to see how he did taste. My tongue stayed safely behind my teeth and stuck to the roof my mouth.

We were on our way in no time flat, with the scenery going by at a dizzying speed.

"Whoa, there. Do you have to drive this fast?"

Without even looking at the speedometer, I knew he had to be pushing over 100 mph.

"What? Are you afraid of a little speed?" he taunted.

"Not when I am surrounded by safety equipment and I'm the one doing the driving," I countered.

He noticeably slowed down, prompting me to ask once again, "What are you doing in Forks?"

"My family has a house here where we store our vehicles. We haven't been here for many years since we all graduated."

Many years? "So, you guys just happened to want to come back here, out of the blue, and you just happened to find me on this road, and you just happened to drive past my house this morning?" Accusations flew out of my mouth in one healthy stream.

"Well, no, it didn't _just_ happen. You are right, I have been following you since this morning." He kept his eyes locked on the road. "I wanted to see you again. So, I talked to my family and they all agreed they wanted to come back. So, according to my evil _master plan_, it all worked out perfectly, and, here we are, Schweethawt…together."

I couldn't tell if he was joking or not, but that one word, _together_, shot a thrill straight to my toes. The car suddenly seemed warmer, or at least warm enough that I needed to take my jacket off. I shrugged out of it and reached for the heater knob to turn it down.

Edward must have noticed my discomfort and reached to turn down the heat at the same time. Our hands brushed together and the voltage that ran between our fingers could have lit up a city block for two weeks. Quickly, we both pulled our hands back. I wasn't sure if it was the electricity or if his hands were ice cold. He was noticeably swallowing a lot.

"Uh, thank you for the ride, in case I forget to tell you later."

"You're welcome and I am sorry for scaring you today. And, I'm almost sorry for causing you to put an old friend out to pasture," he murmured at me.

The scenery changed to a more forested area and getting denser by the moment. Edward made a right hand turn into a driveway I would never had known was there. It was slightly overgrown with huge Hemlock and Bull pine trees. The way led to a house that floored me. It was wildly beautiful and huge, to say the least. There were flowering vines in a riot of colors, winding up the sides of the house and beautiful wildflowers growing in cultivated, but manicured chaos. Big windows mirrored the quilted gray skies and the oversized front door opened to emit a bouncing Alice.

She was jumping up and down, clapping her hands, clearly happy to see us. I don't know how she knew we were here, but she seemed ecstatic. We rolled up to a stop, and Edward got out. My door was suddenly open before I could even get my hand on the latch. _Hmm..._

He reached down to help me out of the car and I swatted him away. "Thanks, I'm good."

Alice spun me into a huge hug. She was very strong for such a diminutive thing. "Bella, it's so nice to see you again!" She shared a look with Edward and he shook his head at her. "Well, I'll leave you two alone, but don't hog all of her time, Edward." And, with that, the little monsoon flitted back into the house leaving the front door open.

"Would you like to come in for a minute? I have to talk to Emmett about borrowing his Jeep," he asked me.

"Sure." It was starting to mist outside and I didn't want to stand in it.

I followed him up the porch and into a large foyer that held a crystal chandelier that would have made my mother green with envy. Renee loves chandeliers. She once drug me to a class to make an outdoor Christmas chandelier out of clear plastic cups and twinkle lights. We weren't very good at it and they fell apart quickly, much to our mutual dismay.

"Hello, Bella, it's good to see you again." I was shaken out of my reverie by Esme, Edward's mother. Carlisle was standing behind her with his hand resting on her shoulder smiling at me. Her hand was covering his and she smiled too. I was taken back by how singularly beautiful these people were. They both had the same piercing shade of euchre eyes. No one seemed to be thrown by my presence at their house.

"Oh, you too. Your house is amazing," I smiled back at them. It was infectious. Edward just kind of smiled a silly crooked smile too.

"I'm, uh, going to go find Emmett. Do you want to go with me? I can give you a tour of the house." He looked timid and anxious at the same time.

_Why_?

"I would love to." I really did want to see the rest of this impressive mansion.

"If you need anything, Bella, please let us know." Carlisle told me.

"Thank you, I'm fine for now."

The house was mostly done in pristine whites with rich shiny teak floors. The walls were covered with Olde World art. There was a enormous heavily dilapidated wooden cross hanging on a wall by the staircase. The staircase had suspended cables holding the steps in place as it worked its way up the wall to the next story.

He led me up the beautiful suspension to the top landing that had antique tables with some very old looking books lying on them for decoration. My fingers cramped up just wanting to touch them. Esme must have had one heck of a designer and an endless supply of money to have such decadent adornations in this house. Edward noticed me staring longingly at books and told me it was okay for me to touch them.

I reverently picked them up to inspect them. The spines were in perfect condition and the worn covers were shiny from use. Bronwyn, Shelley, and Dickinson, three of my favorite gals. Of course, they would be first editions. Carefully placing them back in their previous positions, I moved down one of the hallways with Edward to a closed door.

Edward started to knock, but suddenly wheeled around pushing me back down the hallway. There was a crashing sound followed by a few squeals and giggles. Then an exagerrated stage voice said, "shush, Rose, I hear someone in the hallway. Knock it off! I don't want to do that with you. That's dirty!" A loud cuffing noise was heard from the other side of the door just before it flew open.

I felt the familiar heat crawling up the skin of my neck as thoughts of my dad and Sue resurfaced.

"Where ya goin' little bro? Hey, Bella didn't know you were here." He grabbed onto the back of Edward's collar and from the grin on his face, I knew he knew otherwise. News must travel fast around here.

Edward turned to face him shaking off Emmett's bullying grip. "We need to borrow your Jeep so I can tow Bella's truck home."

"What happened to your truck?" He waggled his eyebrows at me.

"It, uh, met an untimely end involving a short drag race with _Lightning McQeen_ over here." I jerked my thumb towards Edward. "He coerced me into it and now my poor baby is dead."

"That old thing was about to kick the bucket anyway!" Edward said incredulously.

"So not the point, Edward."

"Where's your mechanic, Bella?" Emmett asked and then added thoughtfully, "come to think of it, we have a resident gearhead here."

"Pfbtt...," came a very un-ladylike rasberry from inside the room.

"Aw, Rose, she needs your help. C'mon! Eddie's scoring points!" He disappeared back into his room, shutting the door, leaving us in the hallway. We could hear a little arguing, and then it got very quiet.

"Emmett," was all Edward said with a roll of his eyes. "I'm sorry. I have to apologize for him. He lacks that _brain to mouth_ filter."

"Edward, I don't need Rosalie's help. She doesn't seem to like me very much," I whispered to him.

"Just ignore her like I do. She doesn't like to meet new people," he explained.

"And, um, Edward? Why are Rosalie and Emmett in a room together with the door shut?"

"It's a long story, but, uh, we're all actually adopted. I'll tell you about it sometime." He actually looked like he was going to have some sort of seizure. "Oh, and just in case, Alice and Jasper are together too."

Just then, Emmett popped his head back out of the door. "You two kids go have some fun. Rosie n' me will go get your truck. Where's it at?"

Edward gave him directions over my protests. They weren't going to let me say no.

"Let's finish the tour, shall we?" He stuck out his elbow for me to take. I decided to humor him and took it.

The upstairs hallway split into four different directions from the landing. All doors were shut save one. We walked towards it with Edward seemingly dragging his feet a little.

"This is my room," he said a bit shyly and he moved sideways so that I could pass. He audibly groaned as I brushed by, pressing myself a little closer than I should have. His intake of air was surprisingly loud and he moved away from me to the far side of the room with amazing speed.

Two of the inside walls were covered in some kind of acoustic material. Along the uninterupted wall, shelves contained books, odd pieces of artwork, and music…lots and lots of music. The wall that faced the outside of the house was completely made of glass from floor to ceiling and the farthest wall from the bedroom door had double French doors that lead out to a balcony. The view from his room was so majestic it took my breath away for a moment. They didn't have neighbors and the verdant haunting forest went as far as the eye could see.

A couple of guitars were propped on stands in one corner. That explained the acoustic walls to hold in sound.

"You're into music." Not a question. I eyed the guitars and then the wall of cd's.

"It's to pass time." He seemed vague, but I let it go.

There was a huge wrought iron bed with very ornate flowers and scrollwork. It looked very inviting and had a kind of show room quality, like no one actually used it. The duvet cover was black with raised gray stitching in a geometric pattern of rectangles and squares. Extra pillows adorned the bed in an array of blacks, grays, and whites. I could make out the crest that was also on their uniforms, stitched on the pillow cases. My fingers were already tracing the pattern before I realized I was touching his bed.

_Oops..._

Edward was watching my every move and I was embarrassed he had witnessed me fondling his bedding. Heat inched along my skin again. _God, was I going for a blush world record? Was there such a thing? Cause I had it nailed._

There was also a huge flat screen TV hanging in a corner, above his dresser, with a load of DVD's piled up on it in no particular order.

"What are you watching?" I grabbed his remote and opened the DVD tray.

Days of Thunder, Talladega Nights, and Independence Day popped out of the three-disc holder.

"Wow, no chick flicks here."

Edward took the remote gently from me and hit the close button. "Do you want to go outside to see the grounds? The rain has stopped and the mists aren't thick right now."

He turned towards the window and was looking outside. I could see his reflection and his mouth was pulled into a grim line, almost like he was in pain. He appeared to be rapidly swallowing again. His eyes were scrunched tightly shut.

"Edward, are you okay?" I was concerned for him based on the look of his reflection.

"I'm fine, Bella. Now, how about that walk?" He slowly turned towards me and opened his eyes. They were jet, devoid of any gold and he smiled his dreadfully beautiful smile at me.

A shadow crossed through my thoughts as my previous night's dream began to surface. "I, yeah, okay. That'd be fine as long as you're okay."_ No, don't go with him! Run..._

He nodded and motioned for me to follow as he led me back through his room, down the stairs, and out the front door. We walked around the side of the house to the back yard that had no fencing. There was just a dense wood line that marked the end of the yard. A worn path became evident as we approached it.

Suddenly, Edward sped ahead of me a few feet then twisted his torso and reached toward me with his hand stretched out like one of Michelangelo's painted angels. I grabbed onto his outstretched hand and gasped as his icy fingers wound in mine, pulling me faster towards the waiting mists.

As I began to dig my heels in, the next thing I heard was Alice frantically yelling from an upstairs balcony, "Stop! Edward, NO!" and I screamed as I saw her jump over the railing to fall two stories.

**Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod? What do you think is going to happen next?**

**I was worried about not addressing the fact that Bella does not know that Edward's siblings are "_together_". So, I figured I had better put that out there in case anyone notices that Bella had not yet been told that the siblings aren't actually related and creepy thoughts enter your minds. **

**Please leave me a review. I loves them so!**


	9. Internal Combustion

Internal Combustion ~ 9

EPOV

I knew Bella couldn't see me as I drove slowly past her house. Her brake lights lit up especially bright as she slammed on them to keep from backing that wheezing monstrosity up into my side of the car. Did she know the kinds of toxins that _thing _was blowing out its tail pipe? Really, as far as I was concerned, the sacrifice would be worth it just to make sure that old rusty beast was put out of commission. She yelled at me in the cab about being a stupid, shiny Volvo driver. Nope, it wasn't worth the sacrifice. I loved my _stupid_, shiny Volvo too much. There was no way to stop myself from chuckling.

Bella went on her merry way as I stealthily followed her about her day. Apparently, she needed to renew her driver's license as I continued to stalk her to the DMV. I waited outside on a side street and spied on her by watching the images through the clerk's mind who was helping her. Bella was going to be mad when she saw her picture. The clerk was laughing at Bella on the inside and thinking to herself that it served her right to get stuck with a bad picture. "_Ha, enjoy the picture! You just think you're a hot thing, being a big racecar driver. I hope that eyelash makes your eye fall out!"_

Well, obviously, she wasn't a fan. I briefly considered going in just to make sure Bella was going to be okay and not lured into some back room to her untimely death. I had no idea why this woman hated her so much. "_Beat my driver last week," _came out my answer.

Aha…

Bella got to leave without being any the wiser to the clerk's thoughts, but did stop for some fans who wanted her autograph. I watched her climb into her rust bucket and take off. She stopped at the 'Salvation Station Book Store'. She was in there for a while and the store was way too small for me to go undetected. So, I was willing to wait for as long as it took.

Once she had come out, I followed her up the 101 towards La Push. I needed to do something to stop her before she crossed the boundary line where I was not allowed onto Quileute lands per our treaty from long ago. That was an avenue best left unexplored at the time.

So, I did what any self-respecting male would do. I tried to challenge her to drag race me. I nosed my Volvo towards her and kept revving my engine. She bought it! Off she took off with one tire laying down a thick layer of rubber on the asphalt as the posi-traction engaged. A whole thirty feet was all she got before a huge cloud of thick black exhaust came out and settled onto my car as I pulled up behind her on the side of the road.

Bella was spitting mad as I approached her cautiously from her side. Her window was up and she was shouting at me at the top of her lungs. She was perfectly adorable and her flush was back! I couldn't help myself and I started laughing. That was the wrong thing to do! She rolled down her window, cranking on the handle like it was a windmill to get it opened fully. Taking off my sunglasses, I smiled until she called me a murderer.

_She had no idea!_ Just because I selfishly wanted to spend time with her, I had just pushed her into burning her obviously beloved truck up. The apologies couldn't fly out of my mouth quick enough. Once she got her phone out to call Jake, I stopped her and offered her a ride.

Innocent enough, right? _Wrong_. She accepted my offer and once I had her in my car and helped buckle her in, I realized my stupid, stupid mistake. Her smell. Bella's smell about put me over the limit. She was also putting off a light scent that was different from her usual cinnamon and strawberries. My ego took a major boost realizing it was her arousal I could smell.

Was I really arousing her? The thought intrigued me considerably. Bella had certainly caused me to have a few fantasies already. I wanted to explore this current state of affair further, but was scared out of my mind of the possible consequences. Having never been with a human before, I was unsure if I would be able to maintain control. The demon rudely snorted, "_no_". But, then again, it didn't want control.

I drove close to the speed of sound to get her back to my house. I needed to get her there so there was some distance put between us before my entire body was consumed in the flames of her scent. Fantasies of pulling over and dragging her into my lap so I could kiss her silly and running my nose up the delicate skin of her neck took over…it was then I realized she had started to talk.

Bella asked me what I was doing in Forks. I decided I might as well as come clean about my reasons for following her here; to a degree of course. I simply explained that I wanted to see her some more and without any of her entourage following so that we could get to know one another better. Truthfully, I did need her away from her wolves. They were a nuisance and would try to keep me away from Bella and the strong pull I felt towards her. Besides, they stunk to high hell!

Maybe I was being a bit overwhelming; as it seemed fluster her enough to cause a rise in body temperature. She took off her jacket, stirring up more _Bella_, which almost effectively made me break the sides of my steering wheel off. We both reached for the heater dials at the same time and were zapped by a bite of electrical current between our fingers. I tried to pull away quickly, but it was too late. She felt the cold of my hands.

"Your fingers are freezing."

"I know. It's really cold outside."

Venom rushed into my mouth created by the undercurrent flowing between us. It had been a few days since seeing her last, so my level of tolerance had gone quite literally out the window. And, there would be no relief as said window could not be rolled down because it was too drizzly and cold outside.

We pulled up the driveway as _Avid Alice_ came cruising out the door. Her thoughts bubbled over chaotically while she raced me to Bella's side of the car. _Ha! _I got there first. _Back off you meddling mite! _I moved a little too quickly to Bella's door to let her out and reached in to help unbuckle her, but she slapped at me to get out on her own.

Alice stuck her tongue out at me and sprigged around me to Bella to pick her up in a huge hug. "_Can I steal her away for a few minutes? You've had enough time with her and she's clearly not impressed by your Prince Charming treatment of her!" _

I shook my head _no_. This time she mentally stuck her tongue out at me. She informed me to not hog all of Bella's time before bouncing back up to the house. The only thing to do now was to politely ask her in and find Emmett.

Bella seemed to be in awe of the house and when she met my parents again, she complimented Esme about how beautiful everything was. I was proud to show the house and grounds to her. Esme had worked hard to whip it in to shape once we had gotten back. Her interior design skills were sought out worldwide and that kept her busy during the whole year. She was the consummate homemaker.

I felt a little foolish as we stood there smiling at one another before asking Bella if she would like a tour of the house while we find Emmett. She said she would love to and I led her up the staircase. Her eyes were huge as she took in all the trappings and furnishings of the house. They lit up when they came to rest on some first editions of books ensconced upon an antique table seated on the landing. I told her it was okay for her to pick them up. She did and stroked the covers and spines like a lover's caress. _Oh to be the bindings on a book!_

Her lips dropped into the loveliest 'o' shape as she sucked in a breath. I have never wanted to kiss anyone so bad in my existence. She bent over to place them back on the table and my eyes traveled to the tight scope of denim covering her rather nicely shaped rear. My fingers itched to reach out and place my hands on her to pull her up against me. To grind myself on her. "_Yes! Yes! Yes!" _Monster 1 cried out.

Instead, spitefully, I quickly took a small step back and gestured for her to follow me towards Emmett and Rosalie's room.

_Well, shit!_ Emmett heard us and already was thinking what he could say to disgust Bella as he laughed out loud. I turned around to push Bella in the other direction, but it was too late.

"Shush, Rose, I hear someone in the hallway. Knock it off! No, I don't want to do that with you. That's dirty!"

And, their door opened just in time for him to grab me by the back of my neck. I barely contained a snarl and moved to knock his hand off of me.

"I need to borrow your Jeep to tow Bella's truck home."

Emmett spouted off a few more _funnies_ as he referred to them, causing Bella to turn several shades of brick-red completely off the color chart. With every different shade, her body temperature rose a minute level causing her precious scent to become sweeter and sweeter. Even Emmett's nostrils began to flare. This is a vampire that hadn't had a slip in decades.

I barely paid any attention to whatever antics Emmett was up to and concentrated solely on her. My demon gnashed its razor teeth and threatened me with complete and total internal combustion. My skin felt shrink-wrapped over my bones experiencing a terrible hollowness inside.

Briefly, my attention was re-focused on her telling me that she didn't want Emmett and Rose to help, because Rose didn't seem to like her. I apologized to Bella for Emmett's outbursts and told her to ignore Rose like I did. I also told her that we would take care of her truck and gave directions to Emmett to pick it up.

Bella then asked me why Emmett and Rose were sharing a room. I hedged, but did finally tell her that we were all adopted and raised by Carlisle and Esme. Also, I decided I better inform her that Alice and Jasper were a couple too. This was vague information and knew I would have to elaborate soon.

We made our way down the hallway to my room. I purposely ignored Alice and Jazz's room because I still was feeling selfish and wanted Bella all to myself. Once we were to my door, she brushed past me, running her slender curves across the front of my body. My breath seized from the contact just before I drew in a huge lungful of Bella. Blow torches welded my vocal cords shut and venom coated my teeth.

All the easier to slide my shard teeth into your pear-skin neck. Stop it! You are strong enough to handle this. "_No, you're nottt!"_ the demon sprayed acid words in my brain.

Hopefully she didn't notice I practically flew across the room away from her.

Bella surveyed my CD collection and wondered at it. Then she moved to look at my bed. I was completely enthralled by watching her fingers trace my family crest stitched on my pillows. I wanted her to caress me that way. Wanted her hands in mine to cull them up around my neck as I slowly kissed her rose-pink lips.

Would she moan while I trailed kisses up her neck? Would she push herself against me as I ground myself into her? Would she scream when my teeth tore into her flesh? Perhaps Bella would be so far gone in pleasure, she wouldn't feel it. I wanted to find out so badly right now my little dragon blew fire from its mouth and smiled a smoky smile.

Bella walked across the room, picked up my DVD remote to push the open button so she could see what I was watching. I had no idea what was in there and frankly, didn't care at the moment. The demon was consuming me until there was very little of my humanity left. It hung precariously in the balance, held together by a strand of Bella's hair.

No one knew she was here with me. No one accept my family, but they would forgive me. Maybe afterwards, I would leave. There would be no witnesses. I couldn't do it here in my room. I couldn't disrespect Carlisle and Esme that way, not again. Standing by my window, I could see that the skies had lightened some. The forest behind the house was a perfect place to take her. Perhaps I would take her to my favorite meadow. I knew it was beautiful this time of year. Her life was forfeit.

The venom was unbearable as I lost hope and drowned in it. Her allurement so close to me right now hammered great chinks and chunks away, making short work of my carefully reinforced armor. Bella came closer to me and put her hand on my shoulder as I stared out the window. I closed my eyes effectively blocking her reflected image on the glass.

The virus hissed, "_ask her to take a walk with you. Ask her! She'll go with you. Then we both can have her."_

She warily consented to go with me on the grounds that I was okay. Fear and uncertainty smelled heavenly on her.

She kept the pace with me as I raced us through the house and out the back door to the trail that led into the forest. In my haste to get her to her final resting place, I turned and reached for her hand. As our hands made contact, I heard Alice yell, "Stop! Edward, NO!" And, she jumped the balcony railing.

Three things happened at once. Bella was knocked from my hand by a snarling, horse-sized, red wolf; Alice's "fall" was broken by another monster brown wolf; and next, I was on my back staring into the raging eyes of aforementioned red wolf. It was growling and snapping its mammoth shark teeth at me. Its breath so foul as it fought and dug sharp claws into my chest. The wolf straight for my throat. I held it back as much as I could by grabbing the fur by its ears and holding on for dear life. The whole scene was like playing out an old bad guy, good guy, vaudevillian picture.

There was no doubt in my mind it planned to tear me limb from limb. Pure instinct kept me alive in those few first seconds. I wrestled with the wolf trying to gain the upper hand. Its huge paws were digging into my chest and shredding my shirt while holding me down. The only thing I could do was kick up the lower half of my body so I could toss it off of me. That worked and I scrambled to my feet, then crouched low into a defensive fighting stance, ready to charge the wolf. It would feint left and right at me with a surprising intelligence looking for the best way to re-launch its attack.

Bella was off to the side picking herself up from the base of a tree and I saw red. This animal had hurt her and I was afraid for her safety. How had I not heard its approach? Was I so far gone from the demon lust, I failed to note any kind of danger around us? As far as I was concerned this mongrel was going to be dead by my hands in about two more seconds.

There was so much shouting. But, through it all, I heard Bella talking in a soothing tone to the wolf who was attacking me. What the hell…?

"Jacob…? Can you hear me? Please…stop. Edward is not hurting me. Please, you have to stop." She walked to him, calmly dug her hands in his fur, and rested her head by his neck. Way too close to those death dealing jaws.

Bella continued to talk to him as his heaving sides began to slow. He never lowered his gaze from mine and his eyes continued to spew vitreous hatred at me. He constantly kept up the growling and presenting his teeth in a spine-chilling show of aggression, showing me with his mind what he would like to do to me. Bella lifted her head and looked beseechingly at me. She kept pleading with him to back off and rubbed his side like a master does to their favorite pet. Her eyes rested on the shredded remains of my shirt and she frowned. She was expecting blood and must been bewildered by the lack of it.

"Edward, I need you to back off. I'm not sure I can control him. Please, I'm not hurt. See?" And, she held up her hands towards me to show she wasn't injured.

Slowly, I stood up and put my hands, palms forward, out by my sides to show no misconstrued signs of aggression towards him. Bella had just now let the cat out of the bag, so to speak, she knew about the werewolves. Jake turned his massive head to her and licked her arm before snorting at me and heading into the woods. The other wolf followed him at a slower pace. He was limping slightly and making little whining sounds.

"Seth…" was all she said as she watched the second wolf go by. Alice must have landed on him pretty hard.

_Good._

Alice was at our sides along with Jasper who was glaring into the woods after the wolves. Jasper was thinking about how he couldn't believe that wolf had tried to break Alice's fall while the other went after me to kill me.

Alice was the first to say something.

"I saw you taking her into the woods. Then there was nothing. I was hoping you wouldn't lose your control. I had faith in you, but once I saw your resolve to take Bella out and away from us, I tried to stop you. That _dog _came out of nowhere and broke my landing." Alice said the last in part sneer; part admiration, if that were possible. I frowned at Alice's slip of tongue about the landing part. She should have said, 'fall'.

"They are going to come back, Edward." Bella continued to look from us to the woods. "They will change and come back for me." She looked defeated. I wanted to soothe her and made a move to pull her towards me. Growls erupted from the woods and I wisely stepped back from her. Now that I knew who they were. There was no threat to Bella immediately.

"I know," was all I could say.

Her head snapped in my direction. "How do you know that…and, what did you just say, Alice?" Bella's brows were puckered together and her face was a mask of confusion. She looked to me and asked, "What is she talking about losing your control?"

I winced; I was deeply ashamed of my actions. She did catch that. Just as I was about to say something, two men emerged from the woods with nothing but jeans.

Jake walked immediately to Bella and grabbed her roughly by the arm. "We are leaving now!"

"No, Jake! We have a mess to clean up now. Don't you see that?"

"What I see is you going in to the woods alone with this parasite and not understanding the danger you are in! Didn't you listen to me?

"What danger? I don't understand? Somebody has got to clue me in here!"

Carlisle, now outside, interjected then. I heard his thoughts as he approached, but was busy with Bella and Jake.

"I think it wise we all go into the house and talk this out." He gestured towards the house where Esme was standing in the doorway trying to smile at us. Her concern was crippling in its intensity and I had to tune her out.

"We're not going anywhere with you leeches! We're leaving, but please try and stop us. I would love to see you try," Jake sneered.

That was it! I sidestepped Bella to get to him and wound my hands tightly around his throat. "You _will_ speak to my father with respect, stray, or I will muzzle you by ripping out your tongue!"

The other wolf, Seth, was growling, but Jasper had stepped between us with his hands up towards him to stop him. Seth held his ground, but made no other move. Jasper was throwing wave after wave of calming influence at us. Everyone visibly relaxed; slightly.

Again, Bella stopped us. This time she put her hand on my shoulder. "Edward, we'll come in. We have a lot to talk about, don't we Jake, Seth? This fighting is not solving anything." Both men barely nodded their heads.

I slowly let go, but not before letting the mutt see the rage in my eyes. He returned the look. His thoughts were murderous, but his concern for Bella's safety was his main priority.

"I assure you, Jacob Black, that we both have the same ideas for Bella's safety."

"Not how I saw it, Edward." Saying my name must have caused him great pain, because my name dripped from his mouth like it was battery acid. I'm surprised he didn't foam at the mouth.

With that, we all turned as one and walked towards the house just as Emmett's Jeep was pulling into the driveway.

Rosalie jumped out and started running towards us as Emmett caught her up by grabbing her around the waist, lifting her high into the air. She kicked and screamed profanities at the two nearly naked men as Em held her tight. He turned to the right still holding her fast and smiled hugely as he asked.

"Hot damn, what'd we miss?"


	10. Team Cullen

**Hello all,**

**My sooper-dooper bayta EJ is going on vacay, so I am giving her a rest. Enjoy your eastern seaboard relaxation! For when you get back, nose to the old keyboard please! DA fangirls will be waiting for updates!  
**

**So, please don't judge too harshly on the punctuation or grammar. But, please do let me know if you see something so that I can fix it, but please, make sure you tell me what it was.**

**Thank you Rohan65 for telling me that you loved the last chap and was happy to see it after an extended family errand. Steph72, you have been patient and for that I thank you from the top of my swirly warm heart!**

**I have to rec out a super dirty story by goldenmeadow called "Dead Confederates". She spins words into a whole other kind of madness! I've been playing some on her twilighted thread and she is all kinds of funnier-than-thou! She's on my profile. Go check it out! AND, to V over on twilighted, Thank you for the yummies for this newbie! *winks slowly with both eyes***

**There are also other wonderfulsome stories to read on my prof too.**

**Oh, and by the way...Stephenie Meyer, who has better dreams than me, owns this Twilight world. But, I do own Raceward. He's all mine!**

**"****Hot damn, what'd we miss****?" ~ Emmett Cullen**

**chaos /k'eɪɒs/**

**Chaos is a state of complete disorder and confusion. **

**===Bella===**

Chaos - dizzying, screaming, irrational - Chaos... yep, that's the correct term.

Why was Rosalie so ridiculously irate? She wasn't even here when the fight broke out. I was thankful Emmett was able to grab her. His sizable arms bulged while holding onto her as she fought to be free. Rosalie was hissing. Hissing? Who hisses?

Eerie, though, no one was freaked out by, A; two huge wolves who just showed up out of nowhere and started a fight, and, B; disappeared into the forest only to return as men. And, why does Jake keep calling them leeches? Aren't those bloodsucking worms? His weird use of terminology made absolutely no sense.

Suddenly, my rush of musings came to a screeching halt.

"Son of a bitch!" accidentally flew out of my mouth as I lost my footing and slid across a slick paver rock in the Cullen's meticulously landscaped yard. Both of my feet flailed out from underneath me, scissoring as Edward, who was at least five paces in front of me, caught me and curled me up around the hard trunk of his body. Of course though, was just a split second after I painfully bounced on my left ass cheek. It all happened so fast, I didn't even get a chance to throw my hands down to protect myself.

Seth yelled, "Safe!"

Jake, however, nearly popped a gasket. "Seth."

"Ow! How do you do that?" I demanded of Edward. Once again he had moved so fast, I didn't see him.

My thundering heart performed a belly flop while Edward held me close. Even with all the drama happening around me, he still had the potency of a Mack truck on my body. I found comfort in his arms as he held me possessively against him in an iron grip. His t-shirt was shredded in the front where my cheek and nose were pressed against his chest. I could see deep scratches made by Jake's paws, but no bleeding. In amazement, I lifted my hand up to push the tattered material to the side. The skin of his chest must have been cold from the frosty air because it was freezing. Maybe that's why there was no blood. Maybe Jake didn't cause as much damage as I thought.

Edward was acting so calm; eerily calm. More and more suspicions crept and shadowed in the corners of my mind. He peered down at me with an unreadable look and he seemed to be holding his breath again too.

Odd...

Then his chest rose. "Let's get you inside before you do anything else to yourself, Your Grace." Edward grinned sweetly.

Jake immediately snarled and took a step towards us, holding out his arms. Clearly he meant to take me from Edward. Seth was at Jake's side instantly and put his hand on the front of Jake's shoulder to stay him. He shrugged Seth's hand off and took another menacing step forward.

"Get your filthy hands off her! We're leaving and Bella goes with us." His tribal tattoos began to roll and sizzle across his dark skin. It was getting hard for him to speak because his canines were slightly elongated. He was close to the change.

Pandemonium reigned again. Rosalie started cussing furiously and Emmett had to redouble his efforts to hold onto her squirming body. He clearly was enjoying her movements because he smiled and whispered something in her ear. It didn't calm her.

Edward took a large step back while Jasper, Carlisle, and Alice stepped in front of us like a human shield.

"Oh my God, Edward. Put me down...please." I wiggled indicating I wanted him to put me down. At least I thought I wanted him to put me down.

Edward gently put me back on my feet, but put himself in front of me. My heart rate slowed to a rational speed now that weren't in such close contact, but it didn't fully recover yet. I awkwardly stood there rubbing my bruised butt taking a moment to figure out how to do some damage control.

I glared meaningfully at Jake between Alice, because she was the shortest, and Jasper's heads. "Jake, back off!" Then I spoke to the Cullens. "Please move out of the way. Jake and Seth would never hurt me. We've been friends for way too long. They're just being overprotective."

Jake went back to looking completely irritated instead of homicidal, and just a bit smug?. At least his trembling had stopped, but his teeth weren't completely retracted. That was sort of a good sign. In fact he even smiled a little. But, the smile wasn't his usual smile. It was a satisfaction sort of smile.

Seth was still hanging back behind him looking on with trepidation while he took in the whole scene. I knew he was unpredictable with his changing and we didn't want that. I shot him a small encouraging smile and he relaxed a bit. Seth was so uncomplicated and younger than the rest of the pack. He was my favorite aside from Jake. He was always playful and ready to roll with the punches. Right now, clearly, was one of those punches.

Edward's face suddenly seemed so tired when he looked at both Rosalie's still thrashing body and Emmett's now not-so-smiley face. "When you can get 'Raging Rosalie' under control over there, come in." He ushered the way to Jake and Seth also.

Wrong thing to say because Rosalie let loose a string of profanities that made me blush. Being in a man's sport aside, I didn't know you could use the word fuck so many times in a sentence.

"Edward," Carlisle said with a weighted sigh. Our motley group made our way towards a serene looking Esme standing in the doorway.

She looked like she was holding an intimate secret behind the small smile tugging on her lips. As Jake, Seth and I passed by, we were surprised by the delicious smells of Italian cooking coming from the kitchen. There was no mistaking the mouthwatering smell of lasagna and garlic bread. It was then that I realized that I had not taken the time for any food since breakfast this morning. My stomach gurgled instantly. How could I be hungry at a time like this? Jake and Seth's noses were twitching and I'm pretty sure that Seth's tongue lolled out for a second.

_Just like dogs and men, sure fire way to their hearts was through their stomachs!_

Alice piped up, "I knew Bella was coming over today and assumed she may be hungry, so Esme and I went shopping with the hope she would like it. I didn't count on the extra company."

"What do you mean you knew?" I switched gears from being extremely worried about explaining the wolves since they had given themselves up, or rather, I had given them up, to being extremely confused by Alice's choice of words again.

Jake was the first to say what was on his mind. "Look, I don't like any of you. Clearly you can't be trusted." He reached out to me and grabbed my elbow. I promptly pulled said elbow away from him.

Hisses erupted and Jasper actually took a step towards him, grinding out, "mongrel!"

Again with the hissing? Really?

"We're taking Bella and there's nothing you can do to stop us."

Calm, unnatural calm.

"Wait a minute, you two. How did you know I was here?" I realized again that there were a whole butt load of questions still left unanswered. Then in a low voice voice, I said through clenched teeth, "besides, we can't just leave. They saw you change."

"I don't care what they saw. I was on my way to your house and saw your truck stopped on the side of the road. When I pulled up, I smelled him! I called my dad and he told me the only people with that kind of sickly sweet smell lived in a secluded area outside of Forks. I called Seth up and he helped me track you here."

Sounded plausible.

"We got here just as this lee...uh, Edward, was dragging you into the woods and you were going. Willingly. How'd _you _end up here?"

"Edward, once again, had to rescue me, even if it was his fault I broke down."

I looked to Edward who had the grace to look down. Only, he wasn't embarrassed, he was hiding a smile. Jerk! His dark auburn-oxide hair swept down to cover his forehead while he still hid his grin. No, he wasn't sorry at all. God only knows what held me back from punching him in the arm. I didn't need to spark up another tantrum.

"Now, will someone please tell me why, for one, no one is freaking out about what just happened?"

Jake piped up as he looked at the Cullens and sneered, "You first. Why don't you guys tell her what you are? I've tried to warn her, but she seems hell-bent on being around you guys."

"What? What does that mean?" Fear started to creep its way in.

Carlisle spoke next. "Bella, since you obviously know what Jacob and Seth are. We would like to..."

Rosalie came flying through the door with Emmett hot on her heels. "What are you doing, Carlisle? Don't you dare tell her anything!" she shrieked. "You know the law. We will all be put in danger from the Volturi and just because, Edward," she looked pointedly at him, "has lost his fucking mind, it doesn't give this human the right to know, mutts or not!"

"Young lady, enough of your coarse language!" Esme admonished.

Shock. Suspicion and shock.

"Human? Enough hedging! What or who are you guys? What is a Volt-er-what? You're obviously not werewolves, I would know you." There was a pregnant pause.

"We are vampires." Edward was now looking straight at me with a look of abject misery and resignation. His mouth was turned down and his eyes were huge and dark with violet circles under his eyes that deepened as he continued to frown. "The Volturi act as our police system. Humans are not allowed to know about us."

That was cryptic and he didn't seem to want to elaborate, so I filed that away to ask about later. So what if I knew? What could they do about it? A chill tingled ominously down my spine as I realized there was only one thing they could do and I automatically put my hand up to cover my throat.

I looked at every single person's face in the room. The looks ranged from incredulous, happy, haggard, to singularly pissed off. You can guess who was pissed. Rosalie just threw her hands in the air with a flourish that really did appear to be flipping us the bird and dragged Emmett by his sizable arm out the back door.

Emmett could be heard as they left, "C'mon, Rosie, I want to stay for the Team Cullen meeting. Now we won't know if Bella is going to stay."

Alice was smiling and leaning into Jasper's side while he had his arm around her smiling back. Carlisle and Esme were sitting at the dining room table staring at me without any kind of movement. They were so calm and still that they looked like waxwork statues. I wasn't even sure they were breathing. Then Esme smiled kindly at me, while Carlisle was a little more stoic in his expression. I think he was gauging me for my reaction.

Jake and Seth looked more satisfied and smug.

"You knew?" I hissed at Jake. "You knew, and didn't tell me?"

"I couldn't, Bells. We have a treaty we have to honor. I couldn't officially tell you what they were. But since, Edward, the blood suckingvampire, was dragging you into the woods to eat you, the treaty was almost broken. They are not allowed to kill humans or come on our lands. If they break the terms of the treaty we get to hunt them down and kill them. I was trying to tell you by telling you our legends on the bus ride home. Remember?"

"We know the treaty, Jake. We were there," Edward pointed out.

I reeled back and Edward slid a chair towards me to sit down. I sank gratefully in the plush ladder back chair.

"You really are all vampires? And...you race cars?" Edward nodded and smiled. In doing so, he showed me his teeth. "You don't have fangs."

Edward shook his head, no.

This was hysterical and I began to laugh. "What are the odds? Seriously, what. are. the. odds? Are there any other mythical creatures you guys have hiding around here? Any dragons? Gnomes...Harpies?" I looked at pointedly at the door where Rosalie and Emmett had just left through.

The stories and legends Jake told me on the way back to Forks came crashing back in my mind. He had told me about the "Cold Ones", how they were incredibly fast and had very pale white. I had thought when Jake was telling me these stories, they were just that; stories. But, now I realized that all along he was trying to warn me.

"No, silly, just us vampires. Oh, and the wolves too," giggled Alice as she gestured to Jake and Seth.

I leaned forward onto the table pushing my face into the crooks of my arms effectively muffling my voice. "Were you really going to eat me, Edward?" Without looking at him, I waited, not even breathing, hoping he would say no.

"Yes," came the strangled reply. "But, Bella, I..."

I stood up quickly. "Yes? Seriously?" I cut him off. "I was really starting to like you aside from being a truck murderer. Obviously, I trusted you enough to come to your house after the stunt you pulled on me earlier. But, NO, you decide you want to drag me to the woods and go all "Belà Lugosi" on me?"

Seth snorted and actually started to laugh. "You know, he plays a werewolf too, right?"

"Shut it, Seth!" Jake and I said simultaneously.

Turning to Esme, "I'm sorry. Thank you for your thoughtfulness, but we are going to leave now."

Seth actually whined. Not because we had hurt his feelings, but because he didn't want leave with out eating.

"Bella, wait...I want you to know more about us. I really want to know more about you." With an afterthought, Edward's face lit up. "The wolves can stay for safety insurance too. Esme did make enough food for an army."

Boy, Edward was pulling out the big guns. Jake and Seth were never ones to pass up a meal. Especially lasagna.

"Alright, but we will leave if there are any more fights, name calling, or some Mcvampy, power-tripping blond with a stick up her ass, coming back in here cussing up a storm. Sorry, Esme." I threw that last one out there with a false sense of bravado since I did have my wolves to protect me. I swear I heard a "pffft" come from outside.

Edward moved to take my hand, but dropped it when I took a step back. I still didn't trust him yet. He had to prove to me he wasn't going to make me his next meal or any of his "family" for that matter. He looked hopeful but resigned at the same time.

Jake puffed up and crossed his arms in front of him all protective-like, taking a stance, but then decided against it. With a heavy sigh, he consented. He always did have a hard time telling me no.

Seth's nose went in the air and his nostrils flared. He sat down in an empty chair. "You were saying something about staying for food?"

**===*===**

**It's out now!! **

**Next up ~ Raceward. This next chapter opens some doors.**

**Please review. Edward likes to read them too!**


	11. Raceward

**~Stephenie Meyer owns these crazy characters~**

**Beth, thank you so much as usual. You took the time to re-edit the edits even with your RL throwing you curve balls. You need a life jacket honey? I owe you so much! Diseased Affair is a ride of ups and downs. She has the 3 S's - Sad, Sunny and Sexy!**

**To everyone on the Bad, Broken, and Dead threads, I bow down, thumping my head on the floor in your presence. Thank you for adding so much laughter, smut, and music to my days. I am, of course, talking about Bad Habit by AmeryMarie, Broken Doll by RowanMoon over on Twilighted, and unless you're living under a cabbage tree, DEAD CONFEDERATES by goldenmeadow. It is they who have severely hi-jacked and handicapped my brain from writing this chapter. They are on my profile**

**JaspersBrand (Amanda) pushed me over my 100 review mark 2 days ago! Wooo-ooo! A thousand smooches to ya! Next of course is Momams! She followed me over from Twilighted because she couldn't wait. **

**Now onto it...**

Raceward ~ Chapter 11

EPOV

There was nothing I could do. Bella decided to leave with Alice after she and the wolves had eaten. Who would have thought that two men could be as gluttonous as those two were? I had forgotten what a normal appetite was for a seventeen year old boy, let alone two twenty something men. But, given my own voracity, I shouldn't have been surprised. The younger one, Seth, had polished off the entire pan of lasagna, hit the last of the baked bread and salad once Jake and Bella had pushed their own plates away. Bella had delicately picked at her food. She was polite but wary through the meal. Not really that big of a shocker. Although the smells were abhorrent to me and the remainder of my family, we all smiled affably and excused ourselves from eating.

Carlisle had asked Jake if it was possible to maybe have a meeting with the Quileute elders. He would like to see if the treaty could possibly be re-discussed. And, that we had no qualms with the wolves coming on our land as long as it wasn't to cause a fight. We were a peaceful coven and did not want to trouble. Carlisle thought that there was no reason that we could not co-exist. Tolerance was a mammoth issue to be discussed.

Jake had grunted between mouthfuls that he would talk with Sam as he was the pack leader, but couldn't promise anything. Jake still was a force to be reckoned with when it came to Bella, but, I think maybe he would be a little more open-minded once he saw that we were as civilized as they were. Old grudges and legends die hard.

The mutts had growled at me, showing their teeth in warning. They resentfully phased before trotting into the woods after Bella told them she would need a ride home, since they had come via four legs. Jake tried to argue that he would stay while Seth went to get a car, but, she said she would be fine. She trusted Alice, since she obviously couldn't trust me, to drive her home.

I couldn't blame her. My intracranial demon had consumed me until all humanity was gone, forcing me take her into the woods like the huntsman from Snow White. Only in this damsel-in-distress tale, it was the big bad wolf that had come to the rescue instead of the hunter. _Wait, was I really likening my current situation to the fiction brewing Brothers Grimm_?

It was my own karmic curse that had me waxing penance for past sinful transgressions. Voices of the damned from long ago screamed their haunted memories into my consciousness. They were the lives of criminals that I had taken during my years of rebellion against our "vegan" lifestyle. Never had I forgotten even a single one, even though it had been decades. Each one of their reprehensible, stained faces swam in my canted mind's eye and their blood sacrifices anointed my conscience for the taking of their lives. The great beast in me crowed its amusement at my discomfiture of taking lives anymore and for this reason, I tenuously held my control in check.

However, as of late, control had become as elusive with the smell of Bella's sweet confectionery blood battering at my senses. Steeling my iron will, I would again put on the years of armored constraint I had carefully worn if I was ever to win her trust. I was ages and eons, beyond tired of this bloodneed.

Now, two days later while I sat on my self-made throne of thorns, Alice's tyrannic ruminations grifted their way into my perfectly built wall of armament. "Bella", was all it took for my hellion of a sister to breathe in my general direction to get my attention.

"Edward, call her. You have her cell number. Text her...do something!" Alice's tirade of thoughts broke through again. "Bella will forgive. I promise. You're gonna have to work for it. Besides, we need her to come today so she can even up the teams."

I knew exactly what she was talking about. We had made plans to go into Port Angeles for some fun today.

My cell phone taunted me from its resting place like a lighthouse beacon from the top of my dresser. An internal struggle began between my hollow hearted chest and my better judgment. She would not want to talk to me. Not after what had transpired forty eight, tortuous hours ago. Bella had left with a look of abject misery and confusion.

The ghost of a heart won out. Casting off my shell of emptiness and with vampiric speed, I leapt to the dresser and had the phone flipped open with a slight tremor of my hands. I started keying through the names and saw that Bella had indeed already been programmed in by my dwarf of a sister.

When had she done...never mind. It wasn't the first time her fore-thought worked to my benefit, nor was it the first time she did something without my knowledge. Probably not the last either.

Pathetic, impatient, sickened, and hopeful...I waited for the ringing to start and was stunned stupid by Monster Magnet's "Space Lord" as her call tune. "There's a car in the field now in a column of flame. With it's two doors to choose, but only one bears your name. You've been drinking my blood; well I've been licking your wounds..."

How apropos.

I now was convinced that maybe, just maybe, a smiling Mistress Fate was playing poker with my soul and I had been dealt all four aces.

BPOV

Two days. Two days had passed since the legendary beings had pow-wowed at the Cullens. Here I lie, on the second morning, in my bed playing the inexplicable scenes out. The creature of the night bombshell that Edward and his family had dropped on my dim, unsuspecting noggin only made me realize my absurd magnetism towards immortal beings. The drive home with Alice had been somewhat disturbing if not enlightening. Apparently, Edward wasn't the only batshit crazy driver in the family. Note to self; Try to do the driving when at all possible. I chuckled at my self. _You said batshit_...

Alice's voice was like a Lilliputian on a helium bender, all buoyant and fast. Her words bounced in the small cab of Edward's Volvo as she engaged me in a story of how Edward had been solitary for so long despite the family's attempts to include him.

Information overload kept on coming. She told me about how they didn't consume human blood, but only animals indigenous to the area. But, not so much that it was noticed. They often went on long "hunting" trips to hold their nature at bay. I had snorted at her when she made the comment about no "human consumption", because I knew for a fact that Edward was taking me into those woods to suck me dry, and not in the way I wanted him to... _Focus, Bella, focus. Impending deathly doom, remember_?

She said she was so "over" Edward's stagnant depression because, "_You know, Jasper just couldn't handle the whole forsakenly lonely Edward and it was a complete strain on his senses._" Again, something I let go because of the burnt and frayed edges of my nerves. Maybe later I would ask, but not then.

Alice also told me how Edward had been acting so different since meeting me and that was a good thing. He was even smiling more too. She also told me he was very interested in getting to know me more and was apparently felt, very, very protective of me too. _Again, another derisive snort._

She frowned at me and stated that I needed to give Edward a chance; he deserved a reprieve, because, after all, I was his singer. My blood smelled so sweet to him, it was hard to resist. _Le Sang Chanteuse_is what Alice had called me. My French was a rusted ball of words that couldn't quite un-jumble themselves. Of course, _chanteuse_ stuck in my head, so did _sangre, blut_ and _bloed_. They all translated to blood. My one stupid weakness. The smell and sight, made me all sorts of woozy.

Their family all loved the jolt they got from racing but knew they only had a few more years left it because of the whole not aging thing. Great, just like Jake and the others. Speaking of legions of mythical beings...

Once Jake and the pack reached the age of majority, which for them was fifteen, they all grew to look older at about twenty five or so, then they quit getting older. I know that there is a legend somewhere that eludes me right now about the aging process. Something about being able to give it up, somehow. Why they would want to was beyond me. Being immortal seemed to be a burden I would gladly take on. Their abilities to heal quickly and the grace that all possessed were enviable. The possibilities seemed endless and none of the pack seemed to mind. For that, I was the green eyed epitome of all kinds of jealous.

It was one thing to be best friends with a werewolf and quite another to befriend the undead. I had live the last nine years with the knowledge of the pack. There had never been a fear for my mortal being with my lycans. As far as I knew, the myths of wolf lore were untrue. Silver didn't seem to be an issue. Jake and I had wrestled around enough to know that being bitten, scratched, or getting any kind of saliva on my person, did not bring on a change with the next full moon. Believe me, I had tried. My 10 year old brain was so jealous that Jake could turn into a wolf.

Jake had simply asked me one summerish day, over fragrant mud pies, if I would like to see something really cool. I told him if he tried to show me something gross, I was going to sock him one. He loped into the woods fringing my back yard and, lo and behold, a ginger-brown wolf pup came bounding back out. I sensed immediately it was Jake because of the eyes. They were his, cognitively dark and sharply familiar. He also came right up to me and promptly rolled over on his back, asking for a belly rub. I remember squealing and sinking my fingers into his luxurious, mink-soft fur.

Promptly, I had gone behind a tree to turn in to a wolf too, because in my childish mind, he had morphed because the woods were enchanted. Imagine my surprise when I couldn't turn into any thing mystic. Jake was the only one marked by some unknown cosmic force. In my envious immaturity, I began taunting him that, la tee da. So? He could turn into a wolf, but not a dragon or a pony or a unicorn. He was around eight to my ten, so naturally I was superior to him, right? Our friendship continued to germinate and thrive as the summers passed when I visited Charlie from Arizona. Charlie and Jake's dad, Billy, had always been friends and I had never questioned how they had become to be that way.

I had thought that it was amazing when Jake would phase into the beautiful teen sized pup that eventually grew to be the huge majestic wolf that he was now. I had never spoken to anyone about him, ever. Jake had told me that if I talked about it, no one would believe me and would probably just get called a liar. So, it became our secret. Eventually, I would find out about his pack's shrouded secrets too and was accepted by them as his "outsider" friend. Theirs was a peaceful tribe with a colorfully rich history.

We had remained friends for almost half of my life and he was unchanged even when money started to become good for his family and tribe from the popularity of the Indian Casino.

We had started out Kart racing on a packed dirt track that Jake's dad built for us. Jake found his love for working on anything that made a _vroom_ sound during those first fond racing days. His acceptance of all of my quirks and my need for dangerous sports made Jacob Black, simply, my confidante and soul sibling.

Again, for the umpteenth time, I began to question my sanity. Jake was completely against any kind of relationship with Edward or his family, which now, I knew why. He had been taught his entire life to hate the "Cold Ones". His acquiescing to my inimitable pull towards the vampire was going to be hard won.

So, how would I get over what Edward and his family were? He had, after all, just about given in to his bloodlust before Jake and Seth had come to my rescue like a couple of St. Bernards. How could I stop thinking about his alarming honey eyes, his salacious grin, or his unjustly terrifying beauty? Don't even get me started on that ridiculous hair of his.

Edward had apologized profusely stating that it wouldn't happen again. Was I to believe that? The evidence was in the pleading of his unknowingly sensual mouth and the supplication of his euchre eyes. I was unresolved in my feelings. The attraction was too hard to deny. A blossoming tendril of anxiety clamored through my prone body as I lay there.

How deep would my betrayal be? Is this really a betrayal? Edward's family, with the exception of Rosalie, _shudder_, were very civil and accepting of me and the wolves.

We only had a limited amount of time before the next big race in Sonoma, California and I didn't want to waste it wallowing in my own glass humanity anymore.

My cell vibrated from my nightstand, interrupting my inner diatribe of all things improbable. Maybe it's _Hugo the Abominable Snowman calling_...

No such luck. In fact, it said "_Raceward_" Cullen. Holy Hell...What? How did that happen?

Nearly dropping the phone, I quickly answered it to the sound of pure sin...chuckling? _Sigh_...heart still does those mini cyclonic implosions...

"Hello?"

"Bella, this is Edward Cullen."

"Yeah, I kinda got that. I think Alice got to my phone."

More low chuckles. _Oh be still...wait, heart did stop_...

"Yes, well, Alice can be a little, uh, a little bulldozer-like in her subtleties."

"Edward, I..."

"Bella, look, I really am horribly sorry for the way things went. It was not my intention to harm you. There is no excuse for my behavior. I can promise that it will not happen again. I will control myself. I just…it is hard to stay away from you."

"I know, you already said that a couple of days ago. Why are you calling me?" Cool_, Swan, play the cool chick. _

"I, um...I wanted to make sure you were okay with the life altering news we laid on you. Alice told me that she filled in quite a few gaps." There was a pause and then the unmistakable sound of the phone being dropped and some kind of grappling being done.

"Bella? This is Alice. Edward and I want to invite you out for this evening to go into Port Angeles. Do you have the night free? I promise it will be fun and you won't be disappointed."

"I don't know, Alice. I'm supposed to have a meeting with my team today and I'm trying to spend as much time with my dad as I can." God, I was babbling like an infant. "So much to do. Maybe some other time."

I was making excuses. Charlie, Sue and I had spent pretty much all our waking time together since I had returned from the Cullen compound to a bewildered Dad wondering why my truck was home and I wasn't. I had made a hasty explanation of it breaking down and having it towed home without any real details.

"Bella, please? We all want to get to know you better. I promise that it will be safe. No one will hurt you. I want you to be able to trust us."

Pushy little woman. "Uh, Alice, what happened to Edward?"

"Oh, he's right here. I'm sitting on him. He'd have you on the phone for hours hem-hawing about asking you out. I say let's rip off the band-aid and go for it. What do ya say?"

"You're sitting on him...?"

"Well, Emmett and I both."

"Hey, Bella!" Emmett's louder than loud voice came from the background. "We want to go get our race on at the Port Angeles Speedway. It's Sprint cars, vintage mods, dwarf and midget cars and fireworks later on. You gonna come play with us? I won't let Edwierdo get to ya, I promise!"

"Can I call you guys back?" I needed time to think.

"Yeah, sure. You have the number," Alice giggled. "And, I'm not saying that you're going, but wear something that can get dirty, say, six thirty-ish."

We hung up and my heart thrilled to be invited out with his family. It really could be safe. We would be in public. It should be harmless, right? I did have a meeting at the casino with the crew for some minor details, but, that would be early afternoon and would only take a couple of hours.

I got up and danced my way to the bathroom, this time knocking before entering. No Daddy buns today! It was going to be a good day after all!

*jfjfjfjfjfjfjfj*

Later at the meeting in the Quileute Casino's luxurious board room, I along with Jake, Sam, Seth, Leah, Embry, and Quil discussed the upcoming races.

The next one was the "Shootout" race. It was 187 miles long and was run in two segments. We would run twenty five laps and the have ten minutes to work on the car. Then fifty more laps with an additional mad dash for ten more laps to the finish. The purse was huge for the winners. I hadn't raced it yet, but I had been with Charlie.

The race was at night and was mucho fun. The coolest part of the whole thing was that the cars put on a glittering spark display that you can't see during the day time. When 3400 pounds of car bottomed out on the pavement every now and again, sparks showered out from the undercarriage, like the Fourth of July, causing the screaming fans to squeal and "ooh and ahh" from the brilliant tableau. It was better than any fireworks display in my book.

All through the meeting, I kept wondering if Edward was going to the Shootout. Surely he was. I still wondered how I was going to tell the others my plan to possibly go with the Cullens to the speedway.

Alice's reference to "_ripping the band-aid off_" came to mind.

"Uh, guys? I need to tell you that I am considering going to Port Angeles with the Cullens tonight."

Jake kept his hands and eyes on the glossy cedar wood table in front of him. "Bells, if you want to go, you don't need our permission," he measured out. Stony faces of the others kept their eyes downcast as if in silent prayer of the tolerance gods.

"I know," I volleyed back indignantly. "I just wanted to let you know that I might be making plans with them."

Then _hoof in mouth_ disease kicked in. "You know, that way they'll have an incentive to bring me back." Growls, gnarly snarls and a few "Jesus Christs" sprang from their collective mouths. _Exit stage left, idiot!_

Clearing my suddenly stuck throat, "well, I'm going to go now and I'll see you guys later. I'll call you later. Jake."

"Sure thing, Speedella. Be safe and for God's sake, please call us if you get in any kind of jam. We got your back, you know that right?"

"Yeah, thanks guys." The feeling of relief overwhelmed me and for one moment, heated, steamy tears threatened to spill. "On second thought, I will take them up on their invitation."

And, with that, I left recalling every single one of their faces and their varying masks of staunch loyalty and fearful apprehension as I walked out into the blue sunshine.

Figuring Alice would know my decision to go, my suspicions were correct as my cell vibrated in my pocket instantly the moment I was back home. She crowed with delight when I affirmed that I would go and was told that they would be by to pick me up at six thirty because the races started at twilight.

Upstairs in my bedroom, I threw my latest _fast _finger treasures on to my dresser top. Two pens, one notepad and two used rubber bands. I couldn't even get excited over my new lovelies. The clock on the nightstand showed that it was three pm. That left three and a half hours to stew on my actions.

Now, to tell Charlie what I was doing and with whom.

*fjfjfjfjfj*

**Next up, Port Angeles Raceway. It is a real place, but of course, I will change some things up to fit the story. There will be tension of the lemony variety. Soon, pets, soon. **

**Leave me a review and I will talk to Edward about letting you work on his drive shaft...**


	12. The Quarter Mile

**To start off with, I owe many, many thanks, homages, and hot love to ALL the ladies at the Bad, Broken, Dead, and Octane fed Theads on Twi'd. Come by and play with us. The link is on my profile. **

**Mer, Kari, Rie, Tosh, Vanessa, Amanda, Margie, Najia, Gillian, Kathy, Gah! I hope I didn't forget anyone! ~ Wow, just wow! As if I could have the strength to stay away from your shiny siren calls! As if you have the strength to stay away from me! Kiss you sideways my chickee la-la's.**

**Stephenie Meyer owns SullenCullen and the ilk! **

Never one to sacrifice her freedom,  
the lady of the lipsticks valued  
petrol above wine. Some people  
thought she was joking when she,  
sipping from a dusty bottle of red,  
declared she'd rather live teetotal  
than rely on the metro. But you  
haven't seen the way she caresses  
the steering wheel, the tenderness  
with which she measures the engine's  
revs, calculating the optimum  
volume and momentum to change,  
with the muscular fluidity of  
a snake, from fourth gear to fifth.

-Unknown D.A.

The Quarter Mile ~ Chapter 12

===Edward===

"Get. Off. Me.", was all I could muster before an errant howl of absolute sinister rapture ripped through the mind of a hovering Jasper from the doorway of my room. Through the tangle of limbs and torsos holding me down, I spied Jasper's determined vile grin a nano-second before he slapped the underneath of his right elbow with his left hand WWF style. Without any preamble, he let out a rebel war cry that would have put the South to shame, he ran full bore at us, flew up in the air and came crashing down upon us like Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler.

Assassins. They were deviant assassins of gloom sent up here by Esme to cheer me up after Alice had told Esme of her vision regarding Bella.

It was working.

Bella was coming tonight. My head shot up as a million wires live jolted their spiny tendrils through my body. Bellowing out my approval of a good wrestling match, I, like the gentleman I was, tossed Alice out of harms way and started to pummel Emmett who was in the throes of ecstasy engaging a deranged and slap-happy looking Jasper. Alice could be heard huffing out an expletive muttering, "dumb asses, it's not like I'm going to get hurt", and left the room. Her disapproval turned into happy thoughts and a trailing countdown of two hours, forty three minutes and fifty two seconds before Bella called to say she was going to Port Angeles Speedway with us.

My _Happy Helpers_ and I spent the better part of the next two and a half hours out hunting in the verdant crowning woods. I loved the royal bearing of the enormous Sitka Spruces and Douglas fir trees. They grew to hundreds of feet tall in the fifteen or so feet of rain they received a year. Thick intricately woven moss, haphazardly grew on the trees like a lovers embrace and hung down in celery colored curtains. I never tired of this part of the world. These rain forests had forged a universe of legends that were spun into fantastical lore and truths. I chuckled to myself, _present company included_.

The conversations were light and laced with more than a few teases of my impending date with Bella. Emmett and Jasper's antics, as usual, brought a smile to my face. As we were heading back to the house, Emmett had us all belly laughing when he all of a sudden went into one of his arachnoleptic fits. He convulsed and ran around spasmodically stripping out of his clothes with an appreciative Rose hot on his heels. Apparently he had run through a huge funnel web of an unsuspecting Hobo spider and being craven as he was, it sent him into a seizuristic display of epic proportions. He was ever the baby! Rose was thoroughly enjoying the moment by smacking him forcefully about the head and shoulders to get rid of the imaginary spider that was already long gone.

We all wanted to be our best when going out to the races. It was all in an outdoor arena. Dirt and burning asphalt paired with the gasoline and diesel burning engines would cause less temptation. I was confident in my ability to just be near Bella. This demon ghost would no longer rule me. It reared it's ugly, slightly bloated, but sated head and blew me a raspberry before putting it's head back down. _That'll__ do, monster, __that'll__ do._

Hyper aware of my impending date, time slowly ticked by and finally back at the house, I showered and came out to an outfit already laid out by Alice. It had to be her, she was easily identified by the wan traces of her unique fragrance.

Dark _Diesel_ brand denim jeans, artfully scuffed lie on my bed along with a gray, long sleeve _Affliction_ T. It had black and red tattoo designs of robotic dragon wings that curled up and around the shoulders, then down the back to the hem. She had put out my favorite black leather Doc's to wear also. Once again, the medium meddler had struck.

Just then, my cell rang..."_The day we met was like a hit and run. And, I still taste it on my tongue..."_ Love Drunk by Boys like Girls_. Christ, when does she do that?_

_===Bella_===

I was free to go. I had my wolves reticent approvals, not that I had to have it,I told myself, but, it helped loads that I wouldn't have to carry that betraying guilt around with me.

Once back in my room at home, I dialed _Raceward's_number. _Pssht__! _I was still tickled by Alice's ingenuity and deftness at secretly programming Edward's number in and calling him Raceward.

It didn't ring long...

"Hello, Bella," his voice poured waterfalls of sin in my ear.

Cue the clown cars racing through my stomach. A three ring circus of emotions coused through my body and canons burst in my heart region. Quickly swallowing down the jangle of nerves, I answered.

"Hi, Edward, if, um, the offer still stands, I would like to go out with you tonight," then added quickly, "and your family."

More breathing. _Quit that!_

"I would like that," he said softly. Then, "the races open up at four o'clock. The speedway is about sixty miles up North on Hwy 101. So, I can be there to collect you around three?"

Collect you. I liked the sound of that. It made me feel, well, collectible. Now the ringmaster was announcing the arrival of the dancing elephants.

"Sure, I'll be waiting for you."

"You'll have a good time, Bella. I promise." And, with that, he hung up without another word.

I put down my cell and realized that gave me a just a skosh past an hour to get ready. Didn't Alice say something about wearing casual clothes that could get dirty? And, I still needed to tell Charlie what I was doing tonight. That wasn't something I was looking forward to doing. After my shower, I would wait until the last minute to tell him.

Boys. I had dated a bit back in Phoenix, but hadn't made any real commitments. Racing was my man. Until now.

After a quick shower to freshen up, I decided on some clothes that Leah and I had bought when we had been racing at the Darlington Raceway in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She insisted we went to the local mall in aptly named Myrtle Beach Mall. We went to American Eagle, Treasure Island and a few other places and even stopped at a great sushi restaurant named Sakura's. That bill had been huge, because let's face it, Leah was a werewolf and ate like one.

What does one wear on a date with a vampire? Turtleneck? Should I wear a cross? Does that work? I had one somewhere in my twirly ballerina jewelry box, which I never quite gave up. When you opened it, it tinkled the Nutcracker Suite as the ballerina whirled on it's coiled base.

Dismissing what I knew was surely myth, I settled on a pair of faded, Downy-soft, ultra low slung jeans, a plaid fitted long sleeve shirt with pearl snaps, and erring on the side of caution, decided on a thin cream knit turtle at the last second. Surely it wouldn't deter him anyways and a I chuckled at myself despite my slight paranoia. I tugged on my pair of worn Justin lacer boots over my favorite pair of aloe infused socks.

They were red, black and white striped and reminded me of H.R. Pufnstuff's WitchiePoo. I used to run around the house on my mom's broom pretending it was the 'Vroom Broom'. Yeah, as a little kid I watched a ton of TVland. _Gah__! Even then I liked the supernatural._

I slid a brown leather belt studded with hammered gold trivets through the loops of my jeans hoping to stave off any possible viewings of crack theater. My underwear were low cut for these styles jeans and a matching T-shirt bra all in nude so they wouldn't show through. Nothing too flashy, but felt softly sexy. I styled my hair in long shiny curls that bounced when I walked. I put some light make-up on, spritzed on some linen scented body spray and steeled myself to go downstairs and talk to Charlie and Sue.

Once downstairs, it was about a quarter after three. Fifteen minutes to go.

Charlie was cleaning his .38 Special service revolver while Sue was busy cutting out the latest article of my interview with _Racegirl_ magazine. I hadn't looked yet and wasn't particularly interested, but Sue avidly kept a scrapbook of my accomplishments like I was her most prized possession. Although, on second thought, that interview was from the day I first saw Edward. Suddenly interested, I took a quick peek over her shoulder and there I was, all sweaty and full of smiles. My breath hitched because there in the background was Edward gazing fiercely at me, almost scowling.

My stomach bottomed out and threatened to bring up the energy bar I had scarfed earlier. Chills skipped along my skin as I remembered that look. That happened when Jake was questioning me about how everything had gone during that race. Edward had been watching me. I had felt it to the very fiber of my being and when I found who was watching me, the sheer exquisiteness of his visage seared it's way into my consciousness forever.

I stood there wool gathering for a moment, before taking a deep breath and clearing my throat. Plunge.

"Dad, Sue, I have a date tonight with Edward Cullen." Two sets of eyes snapped to mine. One the darkest color of tree bark, the other, the color of the coffee he drank that were currently burning into me like a McDonalds's lawsuit.

"Isn't he that driver for Masen Racing?" Charlie queried, "how did that happen?"

"I, uh..." Maybe I wasn't ready to tell him. Fight or flight was starting to kick in.

"How come you haven't mentioned him before?" His eyes narrowed at me before continuing ahead. "When are you going and what are you doing?" Crows feet feathered prominently around his eyes from the strain of scowling at me. He had earned those worrying about me over the years. I knew it.

"Well, er, he uh, I have seen him a few times on the circuit and I ran into him the other day when my truck had broke down. He asked me to go to the Port Angeles Raceway with his family."

"Oh, Bella, you look so very nice! You remind me of Marisa Tomei in that movie,_ Wild Hogs._ Your father and I watched that the other night. She is so beautiful." Sue placed a hand on Charlie's shoulder to soothe the tension. He relaxed visibly. _Thank you , Sue! _She was so good for him. Their love was so very tangible and sitting there together in a comfortable camaraderie gave me such a sense of home. He wasn't alone while I was gone and that made me very happy.

"A date? How fun! When is it, dear?"

Just then, a soft knock at the door. "Uh, now."

Charlie's head spun towards the front door. He snapped the chamber back into his revolver, stood up, looked pointedly at me and stalked to the door, stomping his feet the whole way. I followed close behind him, spastically trying to get around him. Charlie was still holding his revolver.

Scowling, he shrugged me off and ripped open the door. Expecting armageddon, it didn't come.

"Well hello, Edward! How are you?"

_How? What?_, Complete dumbstruck, me. Charlie reached to the side and placed the revolver on the small knick-knack table by the door. Thank God I knew it was unloaded.

"I am well, Chief Swan, thank you. And you?" Edward politely asked my dad as he slowly appraised me.

It didn't go unnoticed by me and swallowing thickly, I looked to my dad.

"Sorry, Bells, Edward called me a few hours ago to ask permission to take you out. Couldn't help watching you squirm." His Magnum P.I. mustache twitched as he grinned, obviously happy with himself. "Nice boy you have here. Didn't know you knew each other. Edward explained that you guys had met at the last race and he was in town."

All the while, Edward stood on the front doorstep, hands clasped behind his back, wearing that stupid, damnable gorgeous smirk. I had been apprehensive about telling Charlie I had a date and here he knew the whole time. Edward called to ask permission? _Who does that?_ Ahh, someone old. Someone who came from an older time. A vampire from an older time. _Just how old was he?_

So, there I stood, mouth hanging open while I stared at my father and the man/vampire I was about to go out on a date with. Enough!

Grabbing Edward's arm, I tugged him back towards the porch steps to leave. I smiled sweetly, applying the one that twists your daddy right around your finger. "Night, dad, I'll be home later. Don't wait up."

"Whatever, little girl. You're lucky I don't put a curfew on you." Charlie was smiling and Sue was pulling him back into the house. He actually winked at Edward as Sue shut the door.

"Let them alone, Chassie. We've got our own date night to get to." And, with that, the door slammed swallowing up my wonderful, kitschy dad and the woman who has chased away the loneliness.

_Chassie__? _Snort. _Was that out loud? _Quick sneak peak at the jaw forged in heaven confirmed that it had been. His smile spoke.

I realized that I had been too disturbed by the scene at the door to take an appreciative look at Edward. He was dressed casually in a grunge, punk couture that I found hot as hell. His hair was still a molten mess that looked like it was both on fire from excessive speed and constantly wind blown, James Dean style. I could have licked his sideburns. _Whoa, Nellie. Reign that back in. _

Stopping short at the curb, I stared. Just stared. Edward had driven up in a behemoth of a truck. A 2009 GMC Topkick C4500 custom crew cab to be exact. It gleamed a wicked custom metal flake of the deepest ruby I had ever seen. There was no chrome anywhere on the body. Every accessory was a flat, metallic toned black. Twenty two inch tires adorned with custom Vulcan wheels graced the flared bed wells. Nothing stock here. They must have kept Summit Racing in the black. Speaking of black, Jake would have been foaming profusely at the mouth to see this mammoth monstrosity. A low appreciative whistle escaped my lips. This was a gorgeous, American built, slice of prodigious metal that made me quiver almost as much as the sweet hunk of man standing next to me.

The ebony diamond plate Nerf bars came to my chest and I had no idea how I was going to get into the cab with out having to take a flying leap until Edward reached past me and opened the door for me.

"Milady?" he asked as he put his hands on my waist and unceremoniously picked me up and settled me up into the black velveteen leather seat. "Your chariot awaits."

My eyes might have rolled back in my head if I wasn't afraid I'd miss something as I took in the various gadgetry's. Tachometer, oil pressure, turbo boost, vacuum and voltage gauges lined the strip in between the windshield and driver's side door. There was probably every type of electro-dial known to man in this gargantuan cab. And, the smells! New car, leather, and pretty vampire.

Edward's door opened and he hopped in with an unnatural defiance of gravity. He caught me ogling the hardware and smirked as he started the diesel guzzling engine.

"Are you ready, Bella?" he asked as he pulled the truck onto the road.

"I am if you are." Looking out at the panoramic view the truck provided, I deadpanned, "Hey, I think I can see your house from here!" Still in shock and tingly over the truck, I stupidly asked if it was his.

Edward accommodatingly laughed at my quip. "No, it's actually Rosalie's."

Surprise. "Oh, I would have guessed it to be Emmett's."

"She lets him think it is."

"Are they going to be there tonight?" I tensed for his answer. I needed to know if I was going to have to be on my guard.

"Yes, but she's promised to be on her best behavior. Alice and Jasper are going to be there too."

"What about Carlisle and Esme?"

"They are relishing their time alone at home without the "teenagers" at home."

That reminded me. "So, sometimes your speech is a little, um, more refined than I'm used to. I'm going to assume you are much older than you look?"

"Well, if you asking how old I am, I was born in 1901, but was turned by Carlisle in 1918 when I was seventeen. My mother and I were both languishing of the influenza pandemic raging in Chicago at the time."

"The Spanish Influenza?" _Whoa, someone had payed attention in history class_.

"Yes. He did it to save me at my dying mother's request. He was a doctor at the hospital we were both brought to."

"Jeez, I'm so sorry," stammering, "do you miss her?" _What the hell was I doing_? Some date I was turning out to be.

"It's okay, really. It was so long ago and my human memories have faded over the years for me." He smiled reassuringly at me and reached across the center console between us and held his hand, palm up, for me to take. I trustingly slipped my fingers in his, intertwining them, just like my heart strings were. The attraction sizzled and popped in our intimate setting of orange neon gauges and the whine of the turbo engine shifting as we snuggled into the lissome-soft leather.

Edward turned my hand up and brought my knuckles to his lips as he placed small kisses on each of them. Lingering.

"I find I am unable to keep myself from touching you. Do you mind?"

Throat too thick to find my voice behind the ache his kisses had caused, I could only shake my head, no. Then there was that beatific silly grin that fuzzled me into a ridiculous fangirl frenzy. I was, after all, on a date with "The Edward Cullen of Masen Racing", who also happened to be a vampire. Small detail, that. _Ha!_

_"_Good_." _

We fell into an easy conversation as Edward for once didn't '_lead foot' _the gas pedal, conveying us into the dawning moonlight towards Port Angeles.

Once we had pulled into the packed dirt parking lot at the Speedway, Edward turned off the engine, got out and was opening my door with blinding speed before I could pull the latch. He stood there in all his perfection as he reached up to me to help me down. Stumbling on the Nerf bar, he steadied me as I reflexively brought my knees up and wrapped my legs around his hips, locking my ankles together unconsciously. Realizing the intimate embarrassment I had just put us in, I guiltily untangled my protesting ankles from behind his lower back and pulled my legs tight together in a straightened position. Reaching with my toes for the ground that wasn't there yet, Edward let me, millimeter by millimeter, inch by succulent inch, glide effortlessly down his person. I experienced the same giddy rush that you get from flying down a twelve foot tall, steel slide at the city park.

He was hard on every muscled plane of his body. With a spinning head and a straining pulse, my boots hit the ground, but we stayed locked together with my fingers buried deep in the thick base of his hairline and his arms banded around my waist. His right arm stayed lower on my back as he lifted his left arm up to my shoulders, bowing me slightly backwards. Sensations akin to an arc of a blow torch flared between us. I felt as we had been welded together by near unbearable flames. Surely, we were to be consumed by this lava flow.

Incarnadined sparks oxidized as his lips met mine half way. Molten. Fluid. Certainly we would supernova into an assemblage of ashes from this allurement? His arctic lips were the balm I needed. Bowing me deeper, Edward and I grappled for less air space between us, while our lips sought for dominance. I had a feeling this was how it would be on the racetrack from now on. Each racing towards the thrilling end result. Just as I boldly started to lick the delicious seam at the corner of his bottom lip, we were grabbed roughly and picked up by a dick-deterring Emmett.

"Howdy, Speed, Trixie," Emmett thundered jovially completely ignoring Edward's growls and my sputtering. He set us down before he whined,

"Jeez, E, how slow did'ya drive? We've been here forever!" Narrowing his eyes on the truck, "You didn't do anything to the Jimmy did you?"

Rose, who had been standing off to the side looking bored, let out a huff of breath between her teeth. She stalked to the truck simultaneously with Emmett and they both rubbed the custom GMC grill reverently before splitting and each taking a side. Rose actually rubbed her cheek against the driver's side door, nuzzling it like a mother would a newborn. She smoothed her fingers over the door and I realized her nails were the same exact color as the custom paint job skinning over the body. Under the sputtering incandescent lights, the paint shone like the bass boat my dad owned.

Holding up my finger up at Edward, I motioned for him to wait there. "Nothing happened. Edward drove a little slower, because we were talking."

Seizing a "Car and Driver" moment, I inched closer to her. "Wow, Rosalie. Nice dig you've got there. Thank you for letting Edward pick me up in it. I've never been close to one before, let alone get in one. I rolled down the window so I could listen to the whine of the turbocharger spooling up. There's nothing like the air-sucking sound the haystacks make! Nice touch having them come up through the bed! Scared the Calvin and Hobbs stickers right off a few Fords," I gushed at her. "That Allison tranny shifted as smooth as a slingshot on a straightaway with out any loss of forward power." Her wheat flecked eyes started to glitter and there was a small upturn of the lips. _Yes! Houston, we have lift off! _"Were the seats equipped with hydraulic or air shocks? I never felt a bump or rut in the road at all. That suspension rode better than any Cadillac. Gave me the shivers!"

Her rapturous face perked as she still warily watched me. Communing with the Combustible Engine Gods was the only common ground I could think of to break through that frigid brick wall she had put up.

Emmett cut in, "I bet that isn't the only thing that gave you the shivers."

"Em, hon? Shut it! Bella and I are having a conversation." Rosalie walked up to me and linker her arm in mine, steering me away towards the crowds and the track. "I know, had that baby on back order for a year! The Monroe conversion I had done was sweet."

"Rose, babe, wait up!" Emmett whined as he ran after us, hot on Rose's heels.

I heard a throat clearing as Edward strode towards us. Chancing a look back at him, he walked to me with a gradient smirk that spoke volumes of worship. He was proud of me? Hell, I was proud of myself. Rosalie never so much as spoke to me before this. Hey, reading that _Car and Driver_ mag on the long bus drive back to Forks really paid off.

Edward disengaged my arm from Rosalie's and diverted her towards a petulant Em, "Rose, she's my date, get your own."

Putting his hand to the back of my shoulder, Edward propelled me to the stands as a silly grinning Alice and Jasper followed us.

The throng of people were polite and to say the least, hyper as the roar from the high octane engines flared. I know we all raced as a profession, but nothing held a candle to the hometown feel of going and witnessing drag racing in all it's quarter mile glory. Funny cars, sprint cars, and vintage class cars all competed in different categories and as each one got their picture taken and the trophy was handed to them, my heart was bursting with the craziness of the moment.

So, here we were. Sitting in the stands laughing, joking, clapping and cheering with the crowds. Alice disappeared for about ten minutes and came back with a victorious glint in her eyes. She was carrying a large drink, bagged multi-colored cotton candy, popcorn, and a four foot long Red licorice Vine all in a brown concession box. Handing me the box, she beamed and said it wasn't a proper date with out the carnival-like food.

Edward just shook his head and apologized to me for not asking if I needed anything. I shook my head that is was okay and thanked the "all knowing" Alice. As the night progressed, sly glances, a few stolen pecks, as well as being pressed at the hips and thighs, became the focal center of our date. He pushed a lock of hair behind my ear, and pulled me towards him as he slowly leaned into me. Reaching up with his hand, he brushed his thumb across my lower lip before nibbling my cheek about a half inch from the corner.

As I leaned back to look at him, he swiped the same thumb across his own lips, trying to hide that mischievous grin. Immediately that made me want to chase that thumb and kiss us both stupid.

"You had some cotton candy," caressing my cheek again, he lingered, "just there."

That's it! We needed some privacy and we needed it now. As if sensing my urgency, we both stood up at the same time, mumbled our goodbye's and dashed out towards the parking lot where we would have some discretion from prying eyes via the back seat of the GMC. Thank God, Rosalie had the windows inked. Practically dragging me, willingly this time, we ran like teenagers in heat to the truck.

Edward opened the back passenger side door of the truck, and put his hands on my waist to lift me up. I struggled against him with a sense of urgency. I didn't even wait for him to meet me half way. I grabbed at that silken hair, pushed my fingers in and spread them to get as many strands in between them as I possibly could. Tugging passionately I laid what I hoped was the sexiest kiss I had ever initiated in my life.

His arms wrapped themselves around my waist and held me close. This time I purposefully wound my legs around his in an effort to banish any oxygen between us. This caress of lips was all about him yielding and me greedily reaching. Taking. Giving. There was no fight over who was in control of this kiss. I was. He groaned appreciatively into my mouth, vibrating my tongue like a tuning fork. His tongue swept up to lick the underside of my teeth, stroking the sensitive roof of my mouth. My clothing became tight as my skin ached for his touch. Right on cue, Edward's hands began roaming my back, lazily stroking circles and straight lines before his right hand came around to the front of my shirt, slipping beneath to draw ascending spirals up my ribs. Shudders of approval escaped my body, unstoppable even if I wanted them to.

Edward's hand reached the soft underside of my breast, cupping it fully with a stroking confidence that brooked waves of desire into the very core of my being, Neither one of us noticed the outside world until bright flashes crashed and intruded as they lit the inside of my eyelids a brilliant vermilion. Edward stiffened and tucked me into himself as I clumsily untangled my body from his. My feet touched the ground and he pushed me behind him, holding me closer as he turned to face whatever threat it was.

Some of the spectators that were leaving recognized us and were snapping pictures on their digital cameras. Some were using their cell phones to take videos which I was sure was going on _YouTube_ as we speak. _Oh God! We had been caught swallowing each other's faces and making out like horny toads right in the middle of a public parking lot._

"Hey, Swan, Cullen, can we get your autograph?" Blush upon blush welled across my skin.

"Just sign a few and then we can get going," I whispered to him. Edward was so mad as he shook a little. Perhaps he was mad, perhaps he was as aroused as I was and had just been cock blocked by some intrusive fans.

"Sure, however, I would ask that you delete those pictures of us. We don't want to end up on the Internet," Edward looked pointedly at one man in particular. "I trust you all understand?"

The man of Edward's interest just snickered at us and pocketed his Blackberry as he did an about face towards parts unknown. There was nothing we could do about the ones that chose to keep them, just hoped for some consideration. We absently and quickly gave our autographs and well wishes to our "biggest fans".

Well, our quickening romance would be outed soon enough. So much for anonymity. We were about to become Edwella or maybe Swullen?

Innocent enough, right? Wrong, little did I know at the time, but, that man's name was James, and in the pursuit of the almighty dollar, sold our little soft core porn show to the highest bidder. Soon we would all find out how much that greedy insignificant worm would facilitate the ill winds of change for us.

**A/N**

**Well, what can I say? Did you like it? Love it enough to review it? Did you possibly feel that you were there? I did!**


	13. Hell Yeah it's Fast, Dumb Ass!

**My God, it's been a long time! I have no excuse other than pure laziness. But hopefully you'll forgive since this chapter is huge!!!! Oh, and I put up another story called _Victory Lane_ that will be a series of companion one-shots that are lemon-creme filled. The first chapter went up two weeks ago called ~ Lowboys, Stroking, and Type 'O' Neg ~ It fits with this chapter. The next chapter in VL will be surprising to say the least and will have a guest author. Be sure to put me on your author alert so you will get all the updates!**

**I owe a thousand thank you's and a huge bag of pleasure toys to Viola Cornuta (Gilly) for fixing my comma drama. RowanMoon, Frol223, Goldenmeadow, Viridis73, JaspersBrand, and Pixiekat! Thank you so much for singing along with me! You guys mean more to me than I can say. AmeryMarie, thank you so much for chatting with me and helping me find a great spot for the kids to camp.**

**See A/N for more.**

**As per usual Stephenie Meyer has all rights, Chevrolet, Forrest River, Thor, all music owned by their respective owners. I own a garage full of toys.**

**_This is dead-icated to my Redneck. Whom I sappily love with all my everything._**

If it ain't **_BAD_**, don't break it.  
If it ain't **_BROKEN_**, don't fix it.  
If it ain't **_DEAD_**, don't buck it. And,  
If it ain't fast, don't **_KICK_** it.

**Now on to it...Hell Yeah it's Fast, Dumb Ass! ~Chapter 13~**

**===EDWARD===**

All I wanted to do was get Bella the hell out of Port Angeles. As we sped through the inkiness back to Forks, that fool, _James, _crept back in my thoughts. He had secreted away his cell and skulked away with misbegotten ideas of how much money he could get from his video of us when we were peeling each other's faces off with our tongues. He was going to run home as fast as his beer gut would allow, knock back a few Keystone's, and force his wife, Victoria, to make some calls. Something was just "_left of center"_ in his brain.

His malevolent thoughts scattered and coalesced into, "_What an attention whore. No skirt belongs in the chase! She's ruining the great stock car racing franchise. Serves the uppity bitch right to get her reputation ruined_. _Only thing better would be seeing her put in the wall_."

I wanted to rip his his head off, literally! James left a bad taste in my mouth, so to speak. The more I thought on it, I should have gone over to him, choked the life out of him and taken his phone. However, I couldn't just waltz right up to him right in front of the small crowd and go all _'Sean Penn'_ on him. Sincerely, I hoped she was ready for the riptide to come. Our new, and most definitely unique, relationship was going to be tested soon.

Keeping my voice light and both hands tightly on the steering wheel, I had to ask how she felt. "Bella, I know that some of those people didn't delete the pictures. Are you ready for the storm?"

"Yeah, I know. Did you see that one guy with the greasy ponytail? He just kind of stumbled away with a weird look on his face. You're right, it didn't look like he was going to delete the pictures he took." It was if she were reading my mind. "What do we do now?" she asked quietly. She fidgeted around in the leather seat looking very uncomfortable for the first time tonight.

"Yeah, I was just thinking about him. He was thinking about how much money he could make off our little, um, show. Not to mention the things he was thinking about you!"

"What? What was he thinking? How do you know...wait, what?"

"What?" _Way to throw dumb at her, Cullen. _

"Is there an echo in here?"

_Oh God! Alice didn't tell her. _

"Don't hedge with me. Spill. There's nothing else you could tell me about yourself that could shock me now."

"Uh, Alice didn't tell you about me?" The look on her face told me Alice hadn't. Steeling myself for another bomb, "I can read peoples thoughts as they are having them."

"Oh...God! You've been able to read my mind? The whole time I've known you? Back at the races? .God." Her hand was on her mouth as she stared. She was horrified and pinked up as her blood imbued across her confused skin.

The demon raised it's ugly head for a cautious sniff, yawned, circled a couple of times and lay back down. That was a good sign!

"I can read everyone but yours. Your thoughts are silent to me. It makes me want to run from you, pulling my hair out like a madman, yet draws me to you. There is blessed quiet. Quiet I do not get to enjoy from anyone else. I have to actually rely on you to show your emotions or tell me what you are thinking. By the way, what _are_ you thinking?"

Bella started to giggle. Quietly, then a little louder. "Sooo, my super power is I can block your thoughts? I always knew I was destined for great things! Wow, ladies and gentleman, look at the circus freak who can block psychic vampire brain waves in a single bound!"

It was my turn to chuckle now. "Did Alice tell you she can see into people's futures? Or that Jasper can manipulate emotions?" Again, the look on her face said, uh uh. Nope.

"And, you're not a circus freak. I happen to like you just the way you are. Very much."

She shook her head still laughing. Not hysterical, just actually enjoying the nuts-o situation like it's an every day occurrence.

I decided to pull onto a side road so we could talk some more. I'm sure if I had pulled a _Fast and Furious _moment by looking straight at her while driving, it only would have served to aggravate the moment. I could though...if I wanted to.

"Bella, seriously neither I, nor anyone else in my family, thinks you are weird in any way. We all have our own private hang-ups. Carlisle, Esme, Rose and Emmett, while he's exceptionally huge and strong, don't have anything extraordinary. Although, Carlisle has no problem being around blood. We believe Alice, Jasper and I already had these sensitivities about us before we were changed."

Sucking a giggle back in, she narrowed her eyes and appeared to be glaring at me. Screwing her eyes shut, she shook her heard more for herself than for me. "Well, that explains a lot. A lot!" Then one more loose giggle, "I think you're wrong though. Rosalie's super power is picking the most awesome vehicles ever. Oh, and being a super bitch! And, if you tell her I said that after the bonding we had earlier, I'll deny it!"

It was times like this I realized my weathered heart was entirely forfeit. Pulling over and shoving the truck into park, I lunged forward between us, gathered her face in my hands and kissed her. Lips mashing and seeking, she kissed me back harder than I would have thought, then softly. She melted into my arms as I dragged her across to my lap. She sat sideways while she let me have total control.

Tentatively, I inhaled shakily, stealing some of Bella's cotton candy breath. My demon started to stir and purr along with the idling engine. Pulling back enough to stare into her dazed caramello eyes, I spoke softly, more sigh than anything, "Bella, I'm in love with you."

"Edward, I...I'm not sure yet, I have such strong feelings for you...strange sometimes, but strong nonetheless." She cast her gaze from mine, shattering my hopes into smithereens. The demon twitched and tail-whipped me in the back of the head. _Dumb ass! It cried._

What did I just do? Ever since I had met her, there had been one event or another. How could I expect her to just take my declaration and say it back?

"It's just that I haven't had enough time to process this all." Bringing her glitter eyes and exquisite face back to mine, she pressed her lips to my diamond ones again. Her lips gathered and harvested mine like picking ripe fruit from a vine. I was hers, and she was letting me know. I wasn't complaining.

Pulling back, I disentangled us, setting her back onto her seat.

"Buckle up, I need to get you home before your dad puts out an A.P.B. on us."

"Edward, I do care a lot for you, I hope you know that."

I smiled at her and put my hand out for her to take before pulling the truck back on to the road and back to Forks. Hope.

Once back at her house, I deposited her at her front door with one more wild kiss. I could hear that Charlie was up, milling around inside. He had heard the truck pull up. It was loud. The turbo charger and clanging stack lids acted as an alarm. Charlie's internal monologue was a mixture of _protective sheriff_ dad and the _letting my daughter be a grown-up _dad. Overprotective dad won out and he was sneaking a peek at us through the curtains.

I gave one more chaste kiss to Bella's cheek and bid her goodnight with the promise I'd call her tomorrow.

On the way back home, I remembered something I forgot to tease Bella about when I had helped her out of the truck earlier. Pulling my cell phone out of my pocket, I quickly texted her.

_**BTW, nice sox! - Speed**_

_TY. Witchie-poo likes them 2! - Trixie_

Back at home, everyone was milling about expectantly. Although I knew Alice probably knew nothing went on, they still acted like they wanted to know. I just shook my head at them, ignoring Emmett's guffaws and Jasper's smirks.

Alice and Jasper had proposed, since Carlisle and Esme had left for their private island in the Galapagos, we go riding down by the North River Valley in Brooklyn. It was below state, less than three hours away, straight down Hwy 101. There were miles upon miles of logging roads, enough mud to make us all happy as pigs, and blessed relief from human onslaught to our senses, save one. There were abundant deer, elk, and Black bears to hunt by the Snoose Creek.

Of course, Alice and Rosalie had spoken and were ready to go and wholeheartedly agreed Bella should accompany us. Alice had said she and Jasper were going to go buy everything we needed.

When I asked her if she wanted any help, she got that hazy, whoops-i-daisy look when something decided to reveal itself to her. Unfortunately for me, Alice chose that time to start rapping The Beastie Boys, '_No Sleep 'til Brooklyn' . _

_**bah ba, bom, ba baaa, ba ba , ba bom...  
**__**Nooo sleeeeep 'til - Brooklyn  
**_**_Foot on the pedal - never ever false metal  
Engine running hotter than a boiling kettle  
My job's ain't a job - it's a damn good time  
City to city - I'm running my rhymes__..._**

She let off long enough to project, "_Why don't you concentrate on making Bella happy later on. And, thanks, but we don't need your help." _I pulled out of her thoughts, laughing my ass off as she broke into her rendition of _King Ad Rock_ and just in time before she switched to Mike '_D'._

Again, having my own personal _Singing Seer_ had really become useful in a variety of ways.

I spent the next several hours researching the area down in Brooklyn and found a historic tavern I could take Bella to dinner to. It looked like we'd be able to ride there, depending on what the _Devious Duo_ planned on buying today.

It was later that afternoon, while I was watching a bootleg version of Transformers II, when I decided to text Bella to see what she was up to. It was killing me not being with her, but I new she had errands to run and was spending more time with her dad.

Grabbing my phone I texted:

_**What r u doing? - Speed**_

_B-ing laZ whilst dad is gone shopping w/Sue.__ - Trixie_

_**Want Co. ? - Speed - **Maybe some alone time..._

_Sure - Trixie_

_**B there soon - Speed**_

Adrenaline spiked, or what could be called adrenaline. Maybe_ glee_ venom?. Who knows? Our bodies were basically still humanoid and still experienced emotion. Sometimes our emotions were just way more intensified, more raw and powerful.

I flew down the stairs and jumped in my new Chevy 2500HD four by..._Bella, seemed to really like trucks_...and headed up the highway in to town. Through the smatterings of clouds, the sun was setting on the horizon. It left the whole outside bathed in brightly painted glows of pirate silver and gold. Shadows loomed, but in the relief, colors exploded where the sun was able to sally through the muck of the greys. The war of light and dark reminded me of my relationship with Bella. Her blazing shine called out to my darkling nature. Calling it and wooing it into submission.

Bella met me at the door. Her damp hair in a single french braid that swung over her right shoulder . She was wearing simple cotton, navy blue, curve hugging, yoga pants and a pink baby T, that read _**'**__**My boyfriend asked me to choose between him and racing...**_' She caught me reading it and twirled around with a grin so I could peruse the back. It read, '_**I'm sure gonna miss him!**_'

I took my time reading that last part because, just south of the arialitic font, was the the swell of her backside in it's most glorious, gluteous perfection. Oh, how my hands shook to touch what I knew was all tautly strung muscle with just the right amount of fleshy roundness. I could bounce a lug nut off them. They were just perfectly made to fit in the palms of my turned with a smirk, catching me lasciviously ogling her fanny and cocked an eyebrow at me.

"Oh, please. You had to know if you turned around and showed me your ass, I'm going to look."

"You were just supposed to read the back of my shirt," she grinned and winked at me.

Ah, she knew what she was doing, She didn't have to incite me. I was already willing to go to hell for her. And since I was...

She must have been thinking along the same lines as I was because with speed quick enough to rival mine, she snaked her arms up around my neck and pulled me in through the doorway for a sock-blowing kiss. This was her kiss. Thorough, hard, nibbly, and firm. Grabbing her around the lower back, close to those divine mounds, I lifted her slightly off the ground, pulling her tightly to my front. I walked her backward into the living room and straight towards the nearest couch.

While our lips were sealed like zip-locs, Bella's knees hit the back of the couch and over we both went. We never even broke the kiss. I slid right into the cradle of her vee as she slid her naked heels up and around my calves. She clutched at the back of my t-shirt, and It felt like she was massaging my back and up to my neck. If I had a kink, she would have been able to work it out in the most delicious way.

"Mmmm..." she sighed into my mouth, egging me on more. Tentatively, I pressed in closer, rubbing myself along the inside of her thighs, causing more decadent altercations between our bodies.

"Now, that's a proper greeting I could get used to," I teased while alternately laving her top and bottom lips.

Outside a door shut, then the next one. I flew up and across the room and landed in the La-Z-Boy recliner across from the couch. It apparently didn't like my weight and the velocity in which I flew into it, because it groaned and rocked until I put my feet down to steady myself. Bella looked at me like I'd just sprouted horns and a tail. She also looked properly ravished, and I knew a moment of conceit; I had done that.

"Charlie and Sue are back," I hissed.

"Oh..ohhhh." Tomatoes had nothing on her inflamed skin.

"What were we watching?" I asked her, distracting her for a moment, as she sat up and righted herself quickly.

"We were watching _'Wolverine'. _You can't beat the _man candy_in it! Woof! Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, Liev Schrieber, and we can't forget Taylor Kitsch...ooh la la! And, on top of it all, which sadly, isn't me, it has an awesome story line."

She waggled her eyebrows at me._ She fucking waggled her eyebrows at me while talking about some Hollywood jock straps!_ I felt a ridiculous tantrum start from somewhere deep_. They didn't have anything on me!_ The beast started whipping it's tail around like a rattlesnake.

"Of course, they're no vampires. I've got my very own, "_Love at first bite,_" kind of guy in the freezing flesh. You can probably do all those things they do with your eyes shut."

Mollified, it calmed down again. Even preened and cooed like a dove. My inner consciousness shook it's head in amazement, even bowing low to Bella's ability to soothe the savage beast.

Charlie and Sue walked through the front door just then to a completely innocent scene of two, seemingly young adults watching a movie.

Then, Bella's cell phone rang. It was a woman with a sultry voice in a slow ballad that took me a moment to realize who it was. It was '_Alice_' by Stevie Nicks.

_"**Alice!...call my name...**_

_**"Ooh run for your life..." said the Mad Hatter. **_

_**"All right," said Alice..."I'm going back to the other side of the mirror"**_

_**This is me talking to you...well this is me talking to ya  
Alice...Alice..."**_

Elation and trepidation coursed through me as I waited for Bella to pick it up. I knew why she was calling.

**===BELLA===**

_What the hell? _"What is wrong with my plain old ring?"

Taking a deep breath, I answered, "Murphy's Mule Barn. How do you like your ass?"

Sharp gasps of breath resounded through the tiny speakers just before I heard Rose yell out, "Good one! That's fricken hilarious! I gotta remember that!"

Emmett must have hit the floor laughing, because there was a loud crashing just as his sonic-boom laughter rocketed out.

"Am I on speaker?"

"Yeah, Chere, ya are," came Jasper's honey-fried reply. That may have been the first time Jasper had spoken to me.

I looked over at Edward who had his back to me, but his shoulders were shaking, belying his laughter too.

Sue and Charlie were standing in the doorway. Judging by the look on Sue's face and her body language, she had heard my phone greeting. I can't say she looked mortified…possibly disgusted…possibly proud. Charlie looked from Edward to me and back again.

He just shrugged, walked past us, and put the bags of groceries down that they were carrying in. Edward immediately, ever the gentleman, went out to get more and bring them in. My dad just beamed, pointed in Edward's direction and mouthed, "I really like this guy!"

"Bella? You still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. What's up?"

"We are going to go camping down by Brooklyn. We really would like it if you could come."

"Yeah, Trix, we wanna go get our ride on. Miles and miles of trails. Woods, mud'n, and funnin'. Come on, we need you to even out our group therapy._PinesforBellaward_ needs a playmate." Only Emmett.

I glanced back over to Edward in the kitchen with Sue and my dad. He was grinning from ear to ear with his head cocked towards me. Clearly, he was listening. Then he turned those amatory, dirty-blonde eyes in my direction and mouthed, "_please_?"

_Seriously? How is that fair? Who could say no to Mr. __Narcissism__ Reborn? _

Turning away so I couldn't see him using his looks to sway me, I told them I didn't have anything to ride or wear.

"Oh, Jasper and I took care of all the shopping yesterday. We have plenty to ride, and Jasper picked out something special for you. We've got trucks, toy haulers, bikes, quads and gear. We are set and ready to go, just waiting on you."

"Alice, you didn't have to go to all that trouble for me."

"It wasn't all for you. We like to ride and have fun, and we need you to complete us." Alice copped a tone like no one could.

"Renee Zellweger? Really? Did we just have Jerry Maguire moment?"

"Oh shut it! You're coming. You know you want to. We were just being nice by acting like you had a choice! Go pack up. We'll be there in an hour. And tell His Royal Hiney to get home, pronto, so we can hook his truck up to your guys' trailer." Rosalie had taken charge of the situation.

Chuckling, "I need to know how long we're supposed to be gone. You know we have that Shoot-out Race in California next week. I have to be back by Friday."

"Well since it's only Monday, we'll be back in plenty of time. Don't worry your pretty self over it. Now hang up and kick Edward out."

"All right, sounds good to me." I was ecstatic. _Camping! I hadn't camped in years. The riding part was some unexplored territory, but hey, I could drive the hell out of anything! Wait. This meant close quarters with Edward. This meant..._

Charlie and Sue both looked at me and in unison and said, "go pack little girl. Go have some fun this week."

Sue came to me and wrapped me up in one of her, _Snugly Sue Specials, _then pushed me in the direction of the stairs. Edward lip-smacked me on the cheek and flashed out the door. I could hear the diesel roar to life as he took off down the street.

I was so in for it. I had fallen head over heels for this, er, fallen angel. His declaration of love last night while we were doing some heavy petting had taken me for a Sunday drive in a Nitro car. I had had the night and morning to mull over my feelings. Was I in love with him? It had only been close to three weeks since we had met. A lot had happened in such a short time, and I was enjoying the hell out of it. There were unseen, indestructible alloy chains in all their metallurgic glory, that bound us by our souls as if they were forged by Hephaestus himself. So, yes, I did feel the stirring of love inside my chest, and I had the next four and a half days to explore my feelings.

_Hmmm....now, what to take._ I still had a ton of clothes left from our South Carolina shopping spree with Leah.

Exactly sixty minutes later, there was a convoy of trucks and toy haulers waiting outside my front driveway.

_"Ah, breaker one-nine, _

_this heres the rubber duck. _

_You gotta copy on me, pig pen, cmon?_

_Cause we got a great big convoy_

_rock'n through the night..."_

Gangster Emmett was hanging out of the window of Rose's Topkick, wearing a hoodie and a trucker hat, slightly skewed to one side. He was flailing his arms about like an Italian and was shouting, "Hey, baby. Going our way?" Like I was some hooker hitch-hiker. They were pulling an impressive toy box made by _'Vortex'._

Jasper and Alice were behind them in a huge, sage gray, Dodge Ram horn, carrying a '_Cyclone'_trailer. Alice was also hanging out her window waving furiously at me. She yelled a greeting to Charlie and Sue, who returned a enthusiatic wave.

Edward was pulling up the back of this _CW McCall_ moment. His Christmas-white Chevy was pulling a beautiful fifth wheel, 'Sand Storm', toy hauler that must have been thirty-five feet long.

The graphics were incredible on these RV's. They were moveable feasts of '_DeviantArt' _come to life. They all had slide-outs for more room, sure knew how to travel in style!

"Dearling, close your mouth. You're drooling."

"Thanks, Sue. I wasn't sure," I bit back a little too sarcastically.

They took up the entire block with all their trappings. Edward was out and grabbing my bags before I could blink an eye. He moved way too fast, giving away, well, what I thought was giving away, that he wasn't human. Quickly, I glanced at Sue who was still surveying everything with a smile.

"Yes, I saw that. And, yes, I know what he is...what all of them are," Sue stated. "You realize who I am mother too, right? Seth told me last week after you were at the Cullens' house. He told me they were trustworthy. I am hoping that is true. And, based on Edward's behavior, I am counting on it."

_Did a tree just fall somewhere?_ I started to sputter, but there were no words.

"No, I haven't told your father and do not plan to. That will be saved for a later time when it's right."

Speechless.

Then Charlie walked out. "When what time is right?"

"Oh, nothing. Just thinking that Bella may want to tell Edward her feelings. Just girl talk. No Dads invited."

_Oooh...if there was any way I could ever, ever repay this woman, I would have to find it._

Dad pulled me into a hug, kissed the top of my head and told me to be careful. I felt there was a double entendre there.

Edward shook Charlie's hand with his gloved one. He promised to take good care of me and keep me safe. Also, that we would be back Friday morning so I had time to rest up and get ready for the next race.

Charlie peered around Edward and took in Emmett still half hanging out the window. "Um-hm. Just make sure the _over-excited, monkey man _there keeps his cool and doesn't do anything stupid."

"We'll keep him reined in, Sir. He's just excited to go camping."

Edward turned to me and asked if I was ready to go. So, with one more quick hug from the doting couple, we turned to get into the truck to leave. But, before I did that, I had to know what was written on Emmett's hat.

"Hiya, Racer X! What's on your hat?"

"Oh you diggin the cap?" He tilted his head down and pointed at the front of it so I could see it better. It was embroidered in a scratchy scrawl, and Emmett laughed out, "_Hell Yeah it's Fast, Dumb Ass!_"

I broke into waves of laughter, fist bumped Emmett, and went over to Edward's truck. Emmett stage whispered to Rosalie, "See, I _KNEW_ Trixie would think it was funny!"

We took off in a blaze of gunned engines, passing my house with me waving goodbye like Queen Elizabeth until we turned the corner, effectively marking the start of our trip.

Our conversation was a litany of questions for each other. There weren't many secrets left I was hoping. Shyly we broached on the subject of where we were going with our relationship and how far we were willing to go. Apparently, judging by the blaze of his nostrils, his adam's apple bobbing, and the fact that his eyes went completely pitch...all the way. I was certain I was ready, beyond ready, to have sex with this gorgeous man.

Hell, right now, I wanted to scramble over the center console and sit in his lap like a tire swing. I wanted to dig through that forest fire hair and ride him until the cars cross the finish line.

Companionable silence stretched over us while we pondered, plotted and planned our next moves. We held hands the entire way down and every once in a while, Edward would slide his middle finger in between our palms, setting off clutches of flutters, deep inside my body.

All too soon, we pulled in to where we were going to be camping. We pulled into a semi-circle so that there was wind break. The weak evening light was cut by the white and orange lights of the trailers shining out as well as the headlights from the trucks. It was pretty cold out, and I was thankful I had worn a fleecy hoodie with some jeans and boots.

Sharply pungent Cedar and pine scents mixed with the frosty air to burn my nose, instantly setting it to run mode. The clearing we were in was big enough to play baseball on. There were gaps big enough in the tree line where I assumed some trails started.

They wouldn't let me help unload anything, and soon Jasper had a fire pit going to warm me. Emmett went into the forest and came back with tree stumps to sit on. Apparently he ripped them up out of the ground. They had already been logged and left. I was in awe of the symphonic moves every single one of them made. Soon all the trailers were emptied of their cargo, and we all sat around the campfire enjoying the company. I did notice they all took care to stay back from the fire, whereas I got as close as I could.

Jasper brought out his 'Jackson' brand acoustic guitar. His magnificent instrument was a glossy _Johnny Cash-black _with the words 'Bloodline' pyrographied into the maple wood. He could play any song from ear and was taking requests. Edward asked for Blue October, _'Calling You' _. Jasper tuned up and commenced in a very lazy voice that reminded me very much of Sting.

_**There's something that I can't quite explain  
I'm so in love with you  
You'll never take that away...**_

Edward's piercing eyes shown in the firelight like twin candles.

_**And if I've said it a hundred times before  
Expect a thousand more  
You'll never take that away...  
**_

I loved this song and just into it, I felt a connection beginning to grow sealing us. Steel cables began to form, connecting us, one by one.

_**I will keep calling you to see  
If you're sleeping, are you dreaming  
If you're dreaming, are you dreaming of me  
I can't believe you actually picked me...  
**_

_Oh yeah, it is so on_. Between Jasper's music and Edward's gaze, there was no doubt that tonight was the night.

**_And I feel like I can fly when I stand next to you  
So while I'm on this phone  
A hundred miles from home  
I'll take the words you gave and send them back to you_**

Alice requested, Orleans_, 'Dance with me.'_

Edward drifted up and held his hand out to me. I folded my hand up into his much larger one and allowed him to pull me into his steely frame. We swayed like willows and pushed into the darkness away from the fire for a bit of privacy. The starlight illuminated his hair into a glossy navy sheen and, as he turned us so his back was to the fire, it brillianced into a thousand hues of titian rusk.

_**Dance with me, I want to be your partner.**  
_**_Can't you see the music is just starting?  
Night is falling, and I am falling.  
Dance with me._**

We slid our hands together while we pressed and slipped across the trails of our exposed emotions. Edward tugged my left hand behind me and pulled me closer with his right. Closer. Still closer.

**_Fantasy could never be so giving.  
I feel free, I hope that you are willing.  
Pick your feet up, and kick your feet up.  
Dance with me.  
_**

I put my head on his clavicle, close to his heart. As disconcerting as it was, there was no beat.

**_Let it lift you off the ground.  
Starry eyes, and love is all around us.  
I can take you if you want to go._**

Edward hunched down for a split second, let go of my hands and picked me up so my legs could twine around his insular hips. I locked my heels together_**.**_

**_Dance with me, I want to be your partner.  
Can't you see the music is just starting?  
_****_Night is falling, and I am falling.  
Dance with me.  
_**

We took up residence in each other's arms while he continued to sway as he held me tight. I laid my head on his shoulder and he started to sing with Jasper.

**_Let it lift you off the ground.  
Starry eyes, and love is all around us.  
I can take you if you want to go.  
_**

They all had such lyrical voices, but as Edward crooned across the sensitized skin of my ear, I realized there was never a more beautiful sound. His words drifted...consumed...fretted across me, raising goosebumps across my flesh.

**_Dance with me, I want to be your partner.  
Can't you see the music is just starting?  
Night is falling, and I am falling.  
Dance with me._**

We made our way back over to the fire while Jasper continued to sing and everyone started to sing a long with him. He played James Taylor, Johnny Cash, Radiohead, Verve, and even some Death Cab for Cutie. When he started singing The Police (he was really good at that), he sang 'King of Pain' and 'Wrapped Around Your Finger',which clearly was for Alice.

**_You consider me the young apprentice  
Caught between the Scylla and Charibdes.  
Hypnotized by you if I should linger  
Staring at the ring around your finger._**

**_I'll be wrapped around your finger.  
_****_You'll be wrapped around my finger.  
_****_I'll be wrapped around your finger.  
_****_You'll be wrapped around my finger._**

**_Devil and the deep blue sea behind me  
Vanish in the air you'll never find me.  
I will turn your face to alabaster,  
Then you'll find your servant is your master_**

I could feel my eyes starting to droop. It had been a long day. Emotional roller coasters and decision bungee jumps had taken their toll on me. I tried to stifle a yawn, but Edward caught it. He scooped me up and carried me to our trailer because, without my knowledge, I had forgotten how to walk. It was nice though. I'm girlie enough to believe in Tara. I called out my good-nights to everyone, by name, and in return, got the whole Waltons episode ender.

Edward made me some cheese and crackers and sliced an apple for me since my tummy got all protesty and needy. I normally would have died from embarrassment, but eh, who cares? I was too tired, and it had been a while since I had eaten. Alice had stocked our trailer with enough food and drinks to feed all of the Waltons for a month. I was appreciative since I hadn't even figured that into the equation. It was then that I realized that I, the human, still had body functions that had to be taken care of. I was already aware that they had super hearing. This was just great.

"Are you going to be okay while I go out for a bit to hunt?"

I won't lie, I was a little put off he wasn't going to stay, but I realized he was doing it for me. He was trying to be careful and for that, I was thankful.

"I'll be fine. I'll try to stay awake for you, but if not, wake me up when you get back."

"I won't be long and the others are still outside." And, with that, he was out the door in a flash.

It was simple. I missed him. Eventually giving up the ghost, I fell asleep listening to Jasper thrum his guitar in soft riffs of an ageless melody, still outside by the fire. The raised king-size bed swaddled and soothed me into a sleepy coma only to be jolted awake some time later by a paranoid, 'somebody's watching me', spooky kind of feeling. My heart tried desperately and violently to bludgeon itself against my rib cage, and I tried to press it back into place with my right hand.

Edward was standing at the foot of the bed watching me. It was as if he were planning his next move very carefully...wait! I was having a strong sense of deja vu. Narrowing my sleepy, sand-papery eyes, and clearing the Manhattan-sized lump out of my throat, I asked, "have you been in my bedroom or hotel room before?"

He didn't move a muscle as he continued to stare at me. Seconds ticked by and still no movement, no intake of breath nor denial. There was a silent stare-off in the soft glint of light coming through the bedroom door from the kitchen of the toy hauler. In this warm trick of light, his forest fire hair seemed to crackle and glimmer with a life of it's own.

Faster than I could blink, he soundlessly pounced. Lynx-like, lithe and feral, he was on me, lips to my throat, latching on for a moment of suction before licking up to taste and haze against my earlobe. Having the mental capacity of cabbage, I never even had time to react, or maybe even cry out as he scared the living god-lick out of me. Instead, I embraced him, willingly. Archly. Achingly.

So softly, he breezed coolly into my ear, "yes."

"Yes?" A squeak.

"Yes." A harmonically correct sin.

That one single word coaxialated and shimmered across my consciousness, as I became acutely aware that Edward was lying directly on top of me. Between my spread legs, his weighty hips met my pelvis in a most wicked way. All coherent thoughts of being mad that he had invaded my privacy, flew off on the dusted wings of hormonal butterflies . I gave an experimental shimmy, pushing myself onto him, all the while cursing the damn blankets and clothing separating our bodies. My thin black cami and flannel shorts felt non-existent since I had decided to forgo panties in hopes that maybe, just maybe...

A hiss. Edward was hissing, then groaning as he carefully started a delicious friction of movement upon my quickening folds. Rearing up slightly on his elbows, he brought his hands up to cup my face, tendering across my sensitized skin as he used his thumbs to outline my lips. I opened my lips enough to razor his questing thumbs with the very tip of my tongue. A thousand painfully erotic pinpricks broke through my inner walls, clenching in tiny, involuntary lady-spasms with our intimate play. That seemed to be his undoing. Mine as well.

"Bella, I won't be able to stop what we are starting unless you ask me to, right now."

Boldly, "I'm not asking. I want to be with you. Make love to me."

**===EDWARD===**

The hunt was necessary. There was no way I was walking into that trailer without any kind of defense against the slumbering demon. Such a close confining area would make it seem like I was trapped in a stoppered bottle. A test tube. No where for the ballistic scents to escape. Just Bella and me growing. Advancing.

Now walking into the hauler an hour later, I was thankful for the hunt. Her scent washed over me, through me and rolled deliciously, dangerously across my tongue. She invaded and conquered every open sense I possessed. My vision narrowed in the glow of the small light from the kitchen to the portal of my desconstruction. The bedroom.

Even for me, I was quite surprised to find myself already standing at the foot of our bed without knowing I had moved. Wanting and needing. Needing and wanting. My vampire sight needed little light, and she glowed like a beacon guiding a ship safely into its cove.

She had kicked the covers off in the warmth from the heater. I had purposefully turned the thermometer up so maybe my cold body temperature wouldn't be unpleasant to her. The furnace kicked back on again causing the quiet generator to torque up a bit, distracting me momentarily. But, not for long. She had taken her hair out of the braid it was in earlier so it had millions of small waves in it. The way she was lying half on her side, half faces up, had her hair wound around her neck, under her, and even between the vice of her underarm and body.

There were miles of flesh stretched out on the road map of her body. Her small black camisole had ridden up exposing bare skin between the hem and the top of her flannel shorts. More skin peek-a-boo'd where the hem of her indecently short shorts flared out, giving me a panoramic view straight to her...Ohhh, it was bare!

As though she were a doe sensing danger, Bella startled awake and opened those tree bark eyes fully upon me. Her heart thudded and stuttered in her chest. The sound was pure heaven, frightened, strong, violent. Then those same eyes cleared and narrowed. Her face rolled like a movie debuting a myriad of emotions. From fuzzled, to cognition, then lastly, accusatory.

Bella asked me if I had been in her room before.

Oops! Might as well come clean. Without any preamble, I leaped.

"Yes," I breathed in her ear. Her heart nearly exploded with activity.

A delightful squeal, "yes?"

"Yes."

Lying there between the union of her thighs, there was no way I could be still as I slowly ground myself into her. Bella pushed up on to me with a grand sigh. I pulled up onto my forearms to look on her face and reached up to trace her lips. The tip of her tongue came out to lick my fingers. That was the undoing.

"Bella, I won't be able to stop what we are starting unless you ask me to, right now."

"I'm not asking. I want to be with you. Make love to me."

That was all the say-so I required. Our moment was here. I swooped down for a kiss hotter than the surface of a supernova. Bella's lips were made for mine. We fit. Her lips cushioned and cradled mine as I pressed harder into her. She opened her mouth and I slid my tongue in to tangle with hers. They danced and wrangled. I had hardened to the point of pain and felt there would be no relief ever. Her clothing felt weightless, but mine were constricting.

She reached between us to pull my shirt over my head, and I shifted to accommodate her. With her eyes on me, I scooted back on the bed far enough to pull her up and remove her cami. Bella lifted her arms up like she was worshipping a god. She looked like a sun nymph paying homage to its rays. Slowly, I pulled the tank up and revealed her torso and farther up, her glorious breasts. They lifted towards the heavens. There was no spare flesh nor fat on her anywhere. They were smallish, pert and diamond drop perfect. I had to taste them. Using my tongue and carefully wrapping my lips around her dusk nipple, I drew the flesh in. The nipple puckered immediately due to my low climatic temperature. Not wanting the other one to be lonely, I quickly latched on to the other. Based on her small mewls of approval, I knew she was thoroughly enjoying it as much as I.

Bella squeezed my arms letting me know she wanted to pull back. Reluctantly, I obliged. She slid her right hand down and began to cuddle her hand against the hardness she found there. It was punishing in its pressure as she continued to caress it, slipping lower to cup my balls. Then she reached with both hands and undid the buttons of my jeans. Each one worked free of it's hang-noose confinement. My pants were loose fit so they rumpled straight to my knees. She bade me sit so she could pull those completely off.

Oh shit! I hadn't taken my boots off yet.

I went ahead and removed my boots then pants but decided to keep my socks on. No sense in freezing her even more with my ice block feet. Bella looked on with rapt appreciation alighting her features.

"Nice socks. Keep going, Speed. Take the tighties off too. Or do you need my help?" Bella cooed at me.

"I could use a little help." I played right back.

Apparently I didn't have to ask her twice. Emboldened, she grabbed hold of the waist band and viciously tugged. They ripped. She tore them in her effort to get them off. Fine, two can play that game!

Flannel flew. They gave way like tissue paper leaving her bare, open to my feasting eyes. And, feast they did. I couldn't stop my vitiate eyes from staring at her bare mound in all it's glory. Not a single hair nor imperfection marred her mons.

Now without her shorts to muffle the pheromones seeping through her sex, the scent hit me, literally rolling my eyeballs back in my head. My nostrils opened wider to embrace the ambrosial smell barreling straight into my olfactory senses. When I opened my eyes, she was perusing me like you would a beautifully bound book. Taking note of every single line and detail. Every word, paragraph and page.

My hard-on jerked at her like a finger crooking its come hitherance at her, and she jumped and trembled. I pulled her towards me, then laid her on back on the bed. She let her legs fall open just slightly, and the sight that greeted me there did me in. Her sex was the color of the cotton candy she had eaten at the races. Since I had never tasted cotton candy, I figured this had to be my best chance at ever knowing the flavor. It was absolutely divine.

I pulled her legs up, bending them at the knees and open as far as I dared. Bella opened to me, and I licked and nibbled my way around the bract of her allure. She immediately buried her fingers into my hair, scratching with her fingernails and pushing me harder into her. I was very careful of my teeth and as much as I wanted to sink them into her there, I refrained. My control was thin at best right now, but the monster held itself in the background, deviantly sharing my pleasure in a symbiotic way. I slid a finger up and around to her entrance and pushed in, slowly. Seating the finger as far as I could, I paused when I met resistance.

Lifting back, I looked up into her face to see her peering down at me.

"You're untouched." More a statement than a question.

"Yes." Throaty and clearly lost in rapture.

A gift. Her gift to give. Wrapped in fleshy snow white paper with a carnation-pink velvet bow. My gift to receive. Humbled beyond all relief and belief, I settled back in.

I laved around her lips, alternately suckling and kissing and again sliding my index finger back into her sheath. "Bella, you're going to feel a moment of pressure then discomfort. I'm going to take your maidenhead so when I do slide myself into you, there will be less pain. Trust me?" I felt her contract tightly around my finger.

She didn't speak but shook her head in assent. Pushing another finger in, I began to work them both in tandem, scissoring them every few strokes to stretch her in preparation. When they reached the barrier, I pushed through and felt her clench up, tensing her legs so they clamped down on my head and shoulders. It was done.

I withdrew my fingers and the smell of her virgin's blood snapped at me. Before I could stop myself, I stuck both digits in my mouth. A red glaze slipped over my sight as I sucked the blood off my fingers. Without thought, I growled low and flew backwards off the bed, leaving Bella there exposed and panting. The loss I felt was immediately unbearable.

"Edward, come back to bed. You won't hurt me. I know it," she soothed.

The monster's horns grew bigger, and his teeth elongated. It wanted a piece of her. Yet, it didn't want to hurt. It wanted her pleasure. It wanted Bella wrapped around us, threshing us, cleaving to us. Satisfied, I went back to the bed and climbed up to her side to pull her in for another kiss. This one was gentle and breezy.

"Thank you. I know it's not sufficient enough of a word for sharing this with me. For giving yourself to me."

"I love you, Edward. I came to the realization yesterday that I did. I'm glad I waited for you and am happy to give myself to you."

My heart swelled to overflowing and cut off all need for speech. She loved me. Me!

Not wanting to waste any more time, I settled between her thighs and started to push forward into her heart until I was fully seated. Without the resistance, it was a smooth flux. This time, it was painful for me. Bella was indelibly tight. Her walls were crushing my cock. At least it felt that way. The look on her pinched features told me I was still hurting her. I placed kisses on her forehead, nose, eyelids and chin in an effort to help her relax. I knew at least that my hardness would be cool against the overused flesh inside of her. Still fused together, I waited for her body to let me know it was okay to begin again.

I felt her relax and even start to move her hips flush with mine. That was my signal, my green light to start our pilgrimage towards losing ourselves in one another. Gingerly, I pulled back then rocked into her, listening to her cries of arousal. There would never be anyone else for me now. No one else could fit this perfectly, ever. Her acceptance of me and all that is my world was staggering, and I felt the finality of it all.

Her skin was a drug to my eyes. I could mainline it into my system and never get enough. Smooth and never-ending, her legs reached up around mine as she slid her feet up and pressed her heels into my butt.

"Go faster. I won't break."

Encouragement.

"What ever you want, Sweetling." And, I sped up. The feelings overwhelmed me and clutched at me through my abdomen. Bella was so taut, yet soft enough for me to sink into her depths forever. She was strong enough to thrust back against me with enough force to start the trailer swaying with our lovemaking. The bed started to groan and splinter on its foundation, but that didn't stop us.

Our skin started to slap against each other as I pushed and battered at the impending orgasm that promised to take us. Bella started moaning, and I reached in to capture the sounds and breath she was expelling with my lips and tongue. I pushed back onto my knees to watch her come undone. Her breasts bobbed and swung up and down with each pull. Her eyes were screwed tightly shut, and her lips were curled in a grimace, completely lost in feeling.

With both my hands on each side of her hips, I quickened the pace then brought up one hand to catch and toy with one of her nipples. That was it. She fell apart in on my cock with a shattering intensity enough to set off the Richter scale in California. It didn't take me long to follow her. My climax shot through my chest straight down through my balls and out into her. Planted deep inside, I pressed deeper and pulled back in shallow pumps, pouring myself into her before stiffening on the crescendo of my last rolling wave.

Bella had become silent, and when I opened my eyes, she was smiling up at me. Thank God!

With great effort, I gently pulled out and moved to her side. I pulled the covers up between us and gathered and tucked a very sleepy Bella up into my side. For once in my vampyric life, I felt at peace. I felt lethargic. I felt sleepy.

Bella yawned and asked me to sing to her. It only took me a split second to choose a song.

**_All I ever wanted, all I ever needed  
_****_is here in my arms.  
_****_Words are very unnecessary..._**

She fell asleep in my arms snuggling up to me. I dropped a kiss on the top of her head as I settled in for the rest of the night. It was peaceful until the dreams started...

**The deed is done. I have finally earned that pesky "M". **

**Seriously, go read Broken Doll by RowanMoon. She is a true mistress of words and I love her.  
Dead Confederates and Incarcerated by Goldenmeadow. Her stories are like Red Bull, they give your panties wings!  
Bad Habit by AmeryMarie. Tree sex never was better.**

**And, don't forget Victory Lane for the side sling-shots! All of these are on my profile.**

**Reviews are having an Edward take your "V" with his fingers.**


	14. Will Bleed For Speed

All rights for Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer.

**Speedward and the gang belong to me.** **I'm not sure I even own the thoughts in my head any more. Viola Cornuta has gotten in there and swept out the broken english and grammar that plague me daily. She is starting to finish my sentences and it's getting creepy! **

**Seriously, thank you so much. I'm so beholdin' to ya, I want to start singing some old Moe Bandy and Joe Stampley out loud! "_You always leave me holdin' the bag. Don't you know it's getting pretty heavy to drag_..."**

**What would I do without my crew chiefs and mechanics, I don't know! Thank you to all that review, read, pm me (Beowulfgirl).**

**And, lastly. This chapter contains 3 lemons, 2 arguers, and 1 confession...**

WILL BLEED FOR SPEED

**===Bella===**

_Not again! I've lived this dream before. The intrinsic smells, raucous sounds, even the sensory feel was the same. However, this seemingly free sneak-peek into my future, which was how it felt, held one more surprise. This time, I could see into the spade-black race car. The driver was a woman-girl. A witchling. A fallen angel who wore a cherubic face, if you didn't count the brazenly poisonous hatred her rhodonite ruby eyes spewed at me. I had no idea who this acidic apparition was. What had I done to warrant someone gunning for my demise? _

_Time stuttered and crawled as she stared staight into my eyes, hell bent on ramming me into a butt-load of concrete and iron re-bar. Cue Jake the were-horse bulldozing into my fender to push me out of harm__'__s way. Edward, who was several cars ahead, spun around aiming straight at me__,__ only I was aware he wasn't honing in on me. He was after Angel-face. The resultant blast woke me to a near heart attack._

Even though I thought I knew I was dreaming, seeing my Edward blow up in a torrential glow of napalmic proportions still caused total heart fail.

Icelandic arms housed me, soothed me, reminded me it definitely was a dream. A vivid, ominous, fortune tale of a dream.

We didn't speak as Edward began to rub my back in slow circles, smoothing his hands up to rest on my ears before pinching my earlobes in a lazy manner and massaging up over the shell and creases. Instantly I relaxed and melted into him.

Our lips met in a divide and conquer kind of fashion. My lips divided, his conquered. We bobbed and weaved between the sheets in a sensually raw way. Edward rolled backwards into a supine position as an invitation for me to crawl up his body and rest upon him like Cleopatra on her gilded divan. Obligingly, I slithered my aching body up his until my forearms rested on the sides of his head, and my entire torso languished atop his. His hair stuck out in all directions, not making any sense at all, so I tucked some of the strands behind each ear before I returned the favor by doing the '_woo-saw'_ maneuver on his listeners. Edward's eyes practically rolled backwards.

It really was funny, they could perform incredible feats of strength without hurting themselves, but the slightest touch brought them great comfort and delight. They were such a prismatic paradox of idioms. There truly was no explanation for their altered genetics.

I reached down to compose my lips against his and took my time. Pressing...feeling...grazing...pushing. His tongue met mine, and they played and dodged in a game of hide-and-go-seek. Edward's shaft grew and pulsed against my entrance, seeking admission I freely granted.

After seating myself tentatively upon him, I had to adjust and wait for the painful twinge to abate. So I waited, re-adjusted again, then flexed my hips and drew my knees wide to each side so they were parallel with his thighs. My body stayed flush with his; we were chest to chest, pelvis to pelvis, I kept up a rocking motion so my hood was mashed to his pubic bone, seeking the friction needed to heighten my release. This was all about the orgasm. Just base need. Edward kept his hands above his head while I took the lead in this dance, but it didn't last.

Soon they wandered until his hands rooted into my hips and helped guide and slide me along his hard length. Within the next few seconds my climax clocked through my body at a fast enough rate to set off a speed trap. My toes curled, my left thigh locked then clamped into a knot, and unless a sudden tornado broke through our little trailer village in the woods, I couldn't have cared less. I flew, circled, and finally landed on Edward's body like it was a runway.

He continued to meet my still rolling hips until he stiffened then started to hammer in and out as he sighed my name in a strangled sort of way. His release was melodic, and the most humbling sight of my life. Edward began to hum, then smiled as he slowed the pistoning of his hips. The man performed like a well-oiled machine. As he smoothed to a halt, I giggled internally. I was starting to think of him as a vintage Corvette. All smooth lines, skin like heavy American steel, a V-8 engine under the hood that pumped out a staggering amount of horse power, and an unbreakable drive shaft that propelled him into motion something forceful.

Reluctantly, I pulled myself off Edward's shaft and rolled to my side so I could snuggle up to him again. I felt Orpheus tug on my eyelids, pulling them down like shades on a window. With one more valiant effort to stay awake, I asked, "Why are you awake? Do you sleep?"

"No, not at all."

"Mmm...that's nice." _What? Doesn't slee..._That was my last semi-conscious thought as I burrowed under the covers and pillows.

**===Edward===**

The irony of this moment was the overall humanness of the current situation. Lying in bed with a girl at my side, sleeping. More than I could ever wish for.

I had never shared intimate moments with anyone other than fellow vampires, and those times were far and few between and were almost, well...clinical. Emotionless. Only my bizarre family acted more human than any other. We held onto our humanity in a vice-grip, and it Gorilla Glue'd our family together.

We were especially different from the Volturi. Their strict rules and conformity were more than I could take. I had spent some time with them during my rebellion from our _vegetarian_ ways. I knew Carlisle had spent many years with them and decided it might be a safe and smart way for me to go. Treated as a soldier in training, I was held high in esteem because of my gift. This, of course, had bred hatred, jealousy and indifference amidst the Guard. There was no real kinship there. I chose to leave after heavily weighing my conscience and found it burdened beyond belief. Choosing to stay in a slaughterhouse thinly veiled in deception, politeness and murder was more than I could bear. There was only one who showed emotion which didn't involve hatred. Emotion which didn't weigh in my favor later on.

Jane.

The shining blood diamond of the Volturi Guard. The police of the Vampyr collective. Jane was a megalomaniacal masterwork. Her job was to dish out massive heaps of pain via mind fuckery. An assassin.

My first. Her cold confidence in public had intrigued me, her icy irreverence in private had enticed me. A particular brand of sickness which fueled my own infection. Her clinging evil infested my cresting isolation. I could no longer abide her festering machinations, her savor for torture, her love of pain and blood. Loneliness had drawn me to her. Loneliness had allowed me to finally let down years of sexual reservations. Loneliness had still eaten at my soul even with her sick attentions. And, it was loneliness that led me to leave Italy and the bitch behind.

Stop! What was I doing thinking about that assimilated psychotic sycophant? I had the most fantastic girl in the world sleeping at my side. Beautiful, smart, brave and kick-ass behind the wheel of a race car.

Several hours later I tiptoed to the kitchen galley to make Bella some coffee. Alice had stocked this trailer like a house, so I knew there was coffee fixings in here. They weren't hard to find since I could have rooted out truffles from a mile away with my sense of smell. There were flavored coffee beans in a striped paper bag titled, 'Pirate's Grog', a grinder, and some dry creamer in one of the cupboards, and there were to-go coffee cups next to the coffee maker on the counter. So, quiet as a mouse, I filled the Mr. Coffee with bottled water, filled the grinder with the beans and turned it on.

_God! That thing could wake the dead. _

I scrambled to make it stop and in my haste, broke it in two. Coffee went flying everywhere since I had overfilled it. So yeah, there I was, standing in an oversized wonder-bread box, coffee grounds in my hair and on my shoulders, and holding a grinder still choking out a death rattle.

Domestic did not equal me.

Luckily, there were still enough grounds to make Bella her coffee. Once it was set to brewing, I went back to bed to slip under the covers. Her encompassing body heat drew me in and nurtured my own lack. I felt a moment of guilt being a sneak-thief with her warmth, but I knew she had more where that came from.

***

The sun began to peak and poured inside a delicate shade of firefly gold. "Mmmm..." came the muffled reply buried from under the bed covers. "I smell coffee. Must have coff-ee." Bella deadpanned. She was just a slight lump under the blankets as she arched and stretched while I looked on with bemused, but anxious eyes. _How would she feel? Would she be sore? Or worse, would she regret? _

I chuckled as she stretched again, this time stretching out in an 'X' wing pattern like she was laying stake to the whole bed. She stiffened when she met resistance. Me.

Her fingers, then hands and elbows peeked up over the top of the blanket and folded it in half under her arms as she peered over at me with one eye. She squeezed that eye shut, then opened both eyes and blinked a few times. Horror struck as she smacked her lips together tasting the inside of her mouth.

"Blech! Did you catch the person who came by and threw something nasty in my mouth? Yuck!"

Bella jumped up, naked mind you, and fled to the bathroom. The view of her backside was jaw dropping. All muscled and sleek with dimples above her ass that made my fingers twitch to press into them just to see if she would squeal for me.

I heard her as she loudly scavenging through the medicine cabinet. The chatter of the water pump clunked as her vibrating toothbrush whirled to life. Even without my enhanced hearing, I'm sure she could have been heard by Green Bay packers. A quick gargling and she was out the door, flying back into bed.

She came back to me, dove under the covers, suctioned herself to my side and said, "Kiss me."

_All I needed! Regret, schmegret._

Her hair was a category 5 tornado's nest of art. We had created that masterpiece in the night. Twice. She was never more scrumptious looking.

Bella had woken up after a dream she didn't want to talk about. Pulling me to her, then flipping us over, she straddled me as she kissed up and down my neck in a hazy, lazy fashion. My erection was instantaneous. The monster leered, grabbed itself, and did an air hump dance that reminded me of Beetlejuice.

"Edward, I need to feel you." She shyly squeezed me between her sculpted limbs and began to sink herself leisurely onto my shaft. She had to do it inch by inch in order to coat me with enough of her juices to slide up and down freely. She then sat up and slowly rode me, adjusting herself as she tensed her sinewy thighs to rise up like the sun herself, relax as she graduated her zenith, then lowered herself like a velvet curtain finale. Only, in this show, the encore was much sweeter, much more interactively enjoyable.

***

"Ssshhh!! Emmett!"

"Ha ha ha ha! They bent the jacks! And, I distinctly, even though I tried not to, heard wood slapping and cracking in the night. Wait 'til they come out! Hee, hee! I said 'wood'. You know, wood...sex...wood?"

CRACK!...More howls of laughter.

"Do your worst you Spectral Speck! It's still effing hilarious!

"You know, Emmett. A closed mouth gathers no foot."

"Yeah, and a day without sunshine is like...night."

"Well, he who laughs last, thinks slowest."

"Hey, my mind's like a steel trap, dangerous and illegal in thirty-seven states."

"Emmett, your head's so far up your ass, you're going to need a glass stomach so you can see where you're going!"

"Who put a stop payment on your reality check, Alice?"

With a groan, we both peered out into the glint of day, through the blinds, to see Alice, standing on a stump, finger buried in Emmett's chest, and Emmett standing with his arms crossed all petulant looking. Only thing that gave him an advantage. These two often had a battle of the bands using their wit. They had a couple of lifetimes to amass this ridiculousness. Don't even get them started on "Yo Mama" jokes.

Rosalie and Jasper stood to the side acting as judges. Of course, they were biased, so it was always a draw.

"Oh, yeah, a regular Abbott and Costello, you two." I said under my breath, but knew they heard me. They all turned simultaneously.

"Dude, get your bones...ha! I said 'bone'...out here and bring that fine ass Hot Rod Chick with ya. We need to get our mud on!"

We laid back on the bed and groaned again. All this movement was pushing her heated scent around in 150 square foot canister we were in, so I decided it was definitely time to get up and start our day.

"I can go out and tell them to go, and we'll catch up later, Bella."

"No, let me get some coffee first. I'll eat one of the croissants Alice got from Costco. That thing is as big as my head! And, I do need a quick shower."

It was very hard for me to not rush up and pour her some coffee. I did really want to butter her croissant though...

"I'll meet you outside..."

Bella chose at the time to get herself out of bed and rotate slowly showing me her backside for the second time in a few hours. Only this time, she walked slowly wiggling her hips in a such a way, I could have genuflected and reflected over her exalted ass forever. I'm quite sure someone this minute was writing a sonnet somewhere on the planet just about Isabella Swan's derriere.

"Jesus, you're sexy." _Walk a little slower honey._ Bella looked back and winked.

The shower was installed in the corner of the bedroom and, thank god, was big enough for 4 people. Alice and Jasper had really outdone themselves when they picked out these rolling engineered houses. That meant I got a fine view of Bella through the frost etched glass as she lathered up and rinsed off. I walked up to the glass and held my hand to it. She turned and rubbed herself up against the clear door. All erect nipples, and tundric pale skin.

"Tease!'

"It's only teasing if I didn't plan to follow through on it. Come join me."

The door opened with a click and closed with a slight splinter sound. I heard Emmett outside hooting it up again.

"Did'ja hear that? They're breaking in the shower!" Emmett acted like he was holding up a tissue to his eye. "Our little Eddie's grown into a porn star. He's ready t..."

The blessed din of Jazz's two-stroke engine fired up in a tinny, ear-splitting _braaaapp - braaaapp_ sound that drowned out Em's hi-jinks_._

As much as I wanted to stay in the shower with her, the hot water tank on these trailers held only five gallons or so, so I knew we'd be out of hot water soon. We quickly took an _Army_ bath, finished, and enjoyed drying each other off. After a few frisky moments, we began to get dressed in our matching riding gear. At first I was skeptical of Alice's choice in gear. I wanted to tell her we weren't some older 80's couple on our way to Disneyland.

But, when Bella started brushing her hair, thoughts of the little personal appareller disappeared. Every stroke of the soft bristles through her wet tresses went straight to my groin. She caught me staring with my riding pants still unlatched and my shaft growing and growing. A look of interest turned to a look of regret. "If I weren't so sore right now...So, yeah, I'm going to finish getting dressed. Do you think you could ask if either Rose or Alice knows how to french-braid hair? It's really hard for me to do it when it's wet, plus the helmet will slide on and off easier."

Before I could say, Miscreant Mite...

_I'm on it! _"Knock...knoooock..."

"Come in, Alice." I knew she'd some running.

"I'll do it. Rose is busy working, well really, _cheating_," she held up her fingers in quotations and stage whispered, "to make her quad faster than everyone else's. But, I say, whatever."

**===Bella===**

The outside sky had already begun to cloud. Mighty Helios and the Cloud Goddess, Nephele, must have been up there playing slap and tickle on Olympus, because the sun and the clouds were trying to fight for a stronghold over the airspace above us. There were even a few rumbles heard deep in the distance as they must have ticked Zeus off with their antics.

Alice pulled a face like she had swallowed a Quaalude before she snapped out of it. "It's not going to rain. We'll be fine."

Rose squatted low next to her quad, wrenching away on it. Beautiful in her concentration, a crooked smile, akin to Edward's, was set on her lips and her pale pink tongue crept out to camp out on her upper bow. It didn't detract from her beauty. In fact, in my world, given what she was engaged in at the moment, she was a grease monkey's wet dream. Any motor-head would have given his left lug-nut to have a go at her. Of course, her personal monkey would have a go at them.

"Hey, _Molly Goodwrench! _Lighten up_." _Emmett directed at Rosalie from the door of their trailer. He jumped out, foregoing the extended metal stairs. There was a sweatshirt in his hands as he strode over to Edward and me.

"Well, good morning, Ron and Jenna. Rose and I got this sweatshirt for you when we knew you were coming with us."

"Who are Ron and Jenna?" Suddenly, the fog lifted and revealed the big picture. _OH! Oh, Ron Jeremy and Jenna Jamison...porn stars. Oh my God! They heard us. Of course they heard us! Why not? Everything sense they possessed was super human._

Edward looked positively apocalyptic. Seriously, he looked like like one of the Four Horseman. But which one? War or Death?

Emmett suddenly became very concerned with his Alpinestar boots he was wearing. Heat flamed across my face and traveled south under the cool ass, Fox riding gear Alice had supplied. It didn't go unnoticed the tag read, '_Type-O Negative'._

I began to feel bad for Em as he actually fidgeted under Edward's murderous glare. "It's all right, Emmett. Don't sweat the petty stuff...and...don't pet the sweaty stuff. And, don't call us by porn star names again, please."

Roar. "You're the best, Trix! Let's ride!"

The sweatshirt was silk-screened with, '_WILL BLEED FOR SPEED'._ As I put it on, I hoped it never came true.

Edward led me to a Yamaha Rhino with the coolest paint I had ever seen. It was sonic red and sparkled like a disco ball even in this half-light. The paint reminded me of the bass boat my dad had. It was meant to lure. Essentially, this was exactly like driving an automatic car. You didn't need to shift except to go in reverse. There was a gas and brake pedal, an ignition switch, a steering wheel, two seats with seat belts, and a small truck bed in the back. It was akin to a golf cart on mega steroids.

_Man, oh man, this was cool!_

I felt that familiar ache settle in my soul. That ache fueled my addiction. That ache set my lady bits a'tingling. I couldn't help myself. "That's for me?"

I didn't even wait for the answer as I threw on my helmet, jumped in the driver's seat, turned the key in the ignition, and sat there in the vinyl, gel-filled seat with a smile so wide, it hurt. Of course, the pads in the helmet squished my cheeks, creating a "_Hi, my name is Chubby_" look. The Rhino shook and vibrated as I held the steering wheel, then mashed on the gas.

Edward jumped on his orange KTM dirt bike, with a wink, put on his helmet and kick started the engine to life. He took off after me into the forest.

Everyone followed. Jasper, who was already on his flat black Yamaha dirt bike, revved up the 250 two-stroke and took off, aiming a rooster tail full of dirt and rocks straight at Emmett and his 450 Raptor quad. Jasper narrowly missed Rosalie who was sitting on a her matching ATV like Em's. Lucky him. Alice lagged behind the group on her Suzuki Quadrunner. Weird. She seemed kind of unsure of herself.

***

We spent the day crawling over rutted logging roads, flying down old hidden paths that went on for miles around the Brooklyn area and along Snoose creek. If anything got in our way, one of the guys moved it. They didn't uproot anything, they just mainly moved fallen trees in the pathways.

The forest was breathtaking. Great frongy branches blocked out light in most areas, then would open up to reveal patches of muddy brightness. Ancient trees jutted towards the sky, praying and swaying together like mass congregations of wooden Christian converts.

It was very much like the Ho Forest back home, only a little less cob-webby. Which I came to find out was Emmett's big weakness. With Halloween just around the corner, rubber spiders were abundant. I crowed with laughter at the stories they all had to tell. An acrachnophobic vampire? Who knew vampires were this funny?

Edward decided it was time for a late lunch and wanted to take me to the Historic Brooklyn Tavern. He just needed to stash his dirt bike so we could ride together in the Rhino. All we had to do was follow Snoose Creek.

What a great place! There were quads and dirt bikes lined up out front like horses being tethered to the still-existing hitching posts. The circa 1923 exterior looked weathered and worn with age. Inside, it was all old-time and hodge-podge. Scarred wooden floors were covered here and there with be-speckled rag rugs. The tables were mismatched rectangles, ovals, and squares. In the corner was an old dentist's chair I just had to go sit in. There was an ancient-looking bar that served all sorts of beer on tap and spirits. The friendly man behind the bar winked at me and asked me for my ID, which, of course, I did not have. Then asked me how old I was.

"Nineteen."

"Well, missy, you're going to have to go sit at a table. Can't have you sitting at the bar. How about I start you off with a Roy Rogers or a Shirley Temple?"

_Roy Rogers or Shirley Temple? How old am I? The last time I had one of those drinks, I'm pretty sure I was about nine._

"Shirley Temple, please. With extra cherries?"

"And, you chief?"

"I'll just have water please."

We sat down at a small, chipped Formica-topped table in the corner, and I admired the stuffed beaver, moose head, and buck heads, amongst others.

Edward was sitting with an edged look wreathing his features.

"It's kind of like a life-size menu for you, isn't it?"

His face pulled into a puzzled frown.

"You know," I pointed to a 8-point buck on the wall above his head, "...dinner?"

Edward laughed. Out loud. "Only you, Isabella."

I was kind of proud of my myself.

"What's the matter?"

"I thought this place was a little more, um, civilized. I think I may have looked up a tavern in Brooklyn, only the wrong Brooklyn."

Picking up the paper menu, I began to browse for something to eat. "It's fine, Edward. In fact, it's more than fine, I love it. Thank you for bringing me here." The atmosphere was perfect.

He relaxed even more as a waitress came with our drinks. I was curious to see if he could drink water. She asked us for our order, which Edward politely declined, but I ordered a cheeseburger and fries. I waited until she walked away out of earshot.

"Can you drink that?"

"Yeah. Blood, by nature, is fifty percent water. I just don't really like the chemical taste of plain water."

"Okay." I sat back in my chair with my arms crossed. "I want to see you drink it."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Just because? How old are you?"

"Hey, I'm the one with the Shirley Temple, extra cherries, remember?"

He picked the glass up slowly lifting it to his lips. Those pleasure-inducing lips. They pursed slightly on the rim as suction was created to draw the crystal liquid into his mouth. He took one long swallow, almost in slow motion. I watched his Adam's apple bob, and my mouth went all kinds of Sahara Desert. The tug of his facet lips on the cusp of the glass brought back the memory of his mouth on my own southern-directed, heated lips.

_Where was that burger?_

"Satisfied?"

"Not even close."

Edward jerked his mouth up in a smug, all-knowing, all-suspecting grin.

"How fast do you think you can eat that cheeseburger?"

"Consider it eaten."

Two more minutes and the plate arrived. Six more minutes, the plate was empty. One minute later, the bill was paid. Twenty seconds later, we were out the door, belted into the Rhino and spinning away back into the forest.

_**Come with me  
Into the trees  
Well lay on the grass  
And let the hours pass**_

Once we reached a destination that suited our needs, we barreled out of the UTV and became all hands, lips, knees and surrounding trees. Helmets were ripped off and forgotten. We kissed and kissed, tongues skeined to each other. Hands each buried, knuckle-deep in hair.

_**Take my hand  
Come back to the land  
Lets get away  
Just for one day  
**_

It was too chilly for me to remove all of my clothing, so Edward shoved my pants along with my panties down to the top of my boots. He undid the speed-latch at the top of his riding pants and unzipped them, pulling them down just far enough to clear the important parts.

_**Let me see you  
Stripped down to the bone**_

His fingers traced up my thigh to test how wet I was. They easily slid into my opening, and he methodically pumped into me. My fingers teased at the light dusting of hair leading down to his hard length before sliding down to cup his sac in my hand. Soft skin covering two heavy spheres easily plied under my touch. Then I curled my hand up and around Edward's base and smoothed up to the very tip, testing the pressure and velocity as I began to stroke him. He groaned into my mouth, and our kisses grew more urgent as we shared the same air. Oxygen exchanging from his lungs to mine. Unused and tasting solely of him.

_**Metropolis  
Has nothing on this  
You're breathing in fumes  
I taste when we kiss**_

"..." His chest heaved as I spiraled my hand around in a twisting motion. Because his skin was like polished rock, I was able to do this dry. However, to make it feel better, since I was feeling so voyeuristically dirty in the first place, I let go, licked the palm of my hand, then returned immediately and sped up my ministrations. I'd seen that in a movie.

Opposite hips pushed and crushed into each other as we burned and boiled under the scorching intensity of our frenzy. His fingers continued to pluck at my strings so expertly, the crescendo was about to come crashing down.

"I love the fact that I am the only person to touch you here."

I stiffened despite my impending finale, slowed down on the downward stroke and held him as I tried to catch my breath.

_Would he be horribly disappointed in me? I can't believe I was about to tell him..._

"What? Are you okay?"

"Yes, Edward, um...you aren't the first to touch me there."

Confusion warred across his face. "But, I took your virginity." It came out more question than statement.

"Yes, yes you did." _Rip that band-aid. _"You _are_ the only _man_ I've been with."

He continued to stare at me, fingers still inside me, my hand still wrapped around his straining shaft.

"If I'm the only _man_ you've been with then that means..." His eyebrows shot up, sandy eyes widened to near popping out. Then he scrunched them shut, rested his forehead against mine and slowly licked his lips, while swallowing noticeably rapid.

_Why does he do that sometimes?_

We stayed in this position for about five seconds before his countenance lit up to the point of breaking his face.

"Isabella," Edward cooed, "you're a naughty girl." He began to twirl his fingers that had remained sheathed in me in lazy, lazy strokes eliciting a groan from me. His erection twitched, lengthened, increased.

"Tell me about it while you stroke me."

_**Let me hear you make decisions  
Without your television  
Let me hear you speaking  
Just for me**_

He really wanted me to tell him? _Duh! He may be a vampire, but he's all boy vampire. Oh, did I really just feel that? _He had some serious dick control, because it moved back and forth of it's own accord between our bodies. It looked like I was shifting a car between forward and reverse. His shifter was round. And, shiny. And, it was topped like a prized 8-ball knob too.

_**Let me see you  
Stripped down to the bone**_

I gathered my courage and let out what I had never told another living soul or soulless

"Last year after coming back to Forks, Leah..."

His fingers skipped a beat. "Leah? As in Leah from your crew? As in Leah, the werewolf, Leah?" He appeared to be appraising my choice. Fingers settled back into tune.

"As in my _very _close friend, Leah. Yes. Mmm..yes." _Focus. Twist, down shift, up shift._ "We didn't feel like staying with the boys while they watched the NBA playoffs, so we went back to, um, her house." I was getting so close. "She's physically older than me so she bought us a couple bottles of wine, and we settled in to watch some movies. The wine started going down sweeter and...and...and..." My record was starting to skip. Too much grinding and bumping going on. "...faster. Leah had had a bad break up with Sam." His fingers were playing my keys, and he began to slick over the hood housing the nerves nestled there, circling, seeking, tapping in rhythm along with my hand gliding and coaxing his shaft into emiting weeping drops of lubrication.

"Keep talking, Isabella." How he managed to speak through a locked jaw, I will never know.

"Oh, ohhhkay. So we talked and she shared her darkest fantasy of always wanting to kiss a woman. So, I decided, why the hell not? We kissed, things progressed, and let's just say, we, erm...helped each other out orally."

"Orally." Edward went ramrod stiff in my hands and he came, bellowing out his release into my neck.

Recanting and recalling mixed with Edward's orgasm sent me over the edge. Reeling, keeling and spilling over his nimble fingers, flames licked up and out as I came undone, crying out against his chest.

_**Let me see you  
Stripped down to the bone  
**__**Let me hear you crying  
Just for me**_

**===*===**

**And, that is where I will leave these two lovebirds.**

**Now, I know, some of this may be unsettling to a few readers, but I cannot apologize. Won't. Song is _Stripped_ by Depeche Mode. I know Mer and Kari already know that!**

**Next up is another Victory Lane chapter written by the lovely Frol223. She has written what went on between Leah and Bella. I can't wait for it post up! Mer is one lovely lunatic of lemons.**

**Reviews are like having Edward cry out his release in YOUR neck! **


	15. Crash and Burn

**Viola Cornuta: Violaceae: Tufted Pansy - She is a cool sorbet of antique colors which bloom in the bold and cold weather. Related closely to the 'Horned' violet. **

**My beta is strong of stomach and made of stiffer iron than most. The wicked girl I am, I forced her, kicking and screaming, to accept and police the words farther down this page. You'll see why. **

**Thank you to Kari and Mer for reading the unnatural alliance and cheering me on. Amanda, Thank you for reviewing me here and Twi'd. **

**To my fellow westie, JustBiteMePlease- I'm glad you're along for the ride.**

**Thank you to all who read, PM, review, favorite and alert. I read and respond to everyone. **

_Disclaimer - No copyright infringement is intended. _However, I own the thoughts leaking from my brain to my fingertips.

_**~Chapter 15~**_

_**Crash and Burn**_

_**===Edward===**_

"Have you tree'd her yet?"

"Shut up, Emmett." I wasn't about to tell him that I had. But, it wasn't the way he thought.

After our foray into the woods when Bella was finished with her lunch, I put her on my back and jumped up into the canopy of trees. Once we broke through the top, the view was absolutely monumental. Picture perfect. Wild garland-green woods glimmered with the setting of the afternoon sun. Tree tops waved across the horizon as if bidding his majesty, the sun, goodnight. I held to Bella as if she were my own personal quilt. Her intake of breath let me know she was pleased.

"Edward, I can't even tell you. I have no words." She rushed. "Can I stand on the branch too?"

"Only if you promise to hold my hand. Can't have you falling to your death." Gradually, Bella loosened the death grip her legs had on my waist and slid down to grab purchase on the thick limb we were standing on. I held onto the tree with my left hand, digging my fingers into the soft bark for leverage and let her step to the right of me while I held her to me with my right arm.

"You can let go, I've got my balance."

Nuh-uh, not a chance. This is a really bad idea. The demon even backed it's ass up and shouted, _"Hey, stupid ass, don't let her loose! Remember her at the track the night you first met her? Or not. Whatever. Your choice. Her blood."_ So what did I do? I let go.

Bella had the forethought to hold onto my jersey. But, she did the most idiotic thing she could do. She leaned forward...and slipped with only a hundred feet or so to plummet to the earth.

With a sigh, I simply stepped out and dropped like a rock to grab her before she could hit any branches. I pulled her roughly against the front of me with one arm and dug into the bark with my free hand as we came to a halt several feet down, perching upon another limb. Bella scrabbled herself up against me, clawing at me much like a kitten does when it is trying to make it's way up a screen door.

Then the five most asinine words came out of her mouth.

"Can we do that again?"

Bella is a rush junkie.

**===Bella===**

Have you ever met people that are perfect at everything they do? Not only are the Cullens insanely exquisite, or exquisitely insane, they have ridiculous talents. Surely there's a place among the Seraph for creatures like these. We had been camping for three days now and nothing ceased to amaze me. Over the past few days, I had witnessed surprisingly human traits amongst them all. Rosalie sitting outside in a lawn chair reading the latest issue of Hot Rod Magazine or drawing engine designs on a sketch pad. Emmett, Jasper, and Edward playing football, or at least, their idea of football. '_Going long'_ took on a whole new meaning. The terrified elderly trees quivered and cringed with every completed pass the boys made while taking turns throwing the poor brown _pigskin_ around. Forget card games. Edward cheated.

Alice, would sit in slices of sunlight as they popped through the ever present cloud cover like she could tan. Or, maybe she was just sunning herself like a cat on a windowsill. What really took me back was Alice shimmered. Actually illuminated under a multi-faceted, iridescent veneer of skin. I ran to each person, pulling them into yellow sun spots dotted about. They all glimmered and sparkled._ Not fair. Now I understood why they were always covered from head to toe at the races. _Edward, however, positively stole my breath. His eyes turned record vinyl-black as he scented my obvious arousal.

Needless to say, we were noticeably absent for a few hours.

Right now I was sitting on the bed of the Rhino with Alice. We watched the guys and Rosalie push their bikes and quads to go faster and faster as they went in circles. They had made the track using their strength to push up great mounds of earth while Emmett dragged a screen made of chain-link fence to smooth out the track in between the whoops and jumps. Truly another sight to behold.

They flew by kicking up column-like plumes of terra firma. Rosalie kept in the lead with Jasper hot on her tires. Edward and Emmett trailed behind by less than an inch. Deep furrows cut the track, and I had no idea how they didn't get stuck in the tire-deep ruts. It was quite comical to watch them chase each other in circles. As they hit the jumps each did individual tricks like 'tail whips', 'seat grabs', 'lay-Z-boys', 'can-cans', 'hart attacks', 'the Superman', and many others. Really, they were just showing off. The best though, was Jasper hitting one particular jump and performing 'the kiss of death'. While in the air, he held onto the handle bars, jerked his entire body into a vertical hand stand, and kissed the bill of his helmet to his front fender before executing a perfect landing. Alice stood up and shouted, "Good one, honey!"

Edward drove off the track to where I was sitting, ripped off his helmet and did an 'Endo'. He braked hard enough to bring the back of the bike up so that he was balanced on the front tire and kissed me as the bike came to a halt right dead center in front of me. He stayed there suspended for just a few seconds as he pressed a rapid kiss onto my lips. Then he leaned back and the bike came down with a thud. Edward the Smug was out to play.

"Nice, Cullen."

"You know you loved it, and you ain't seen nothin' yet. Wait 'til you see what else I've got in my bag of tricks, Swan." He said all this while blinding me with his spectacular Zoom-white smile and waggling his eyebrows. The motion of his facial twitching caused his ears to wiggle in the most boyish way. Just for a moment, I forgot what he was, as the seventeen-year-boy in him flirted with me.

"Watch out! Reehawwww!" Emmett yelled as he miscalculated and loaded up the power-band a little too much on his Quad. He hit the first jump, sailed through the air, yanked back on the handlebars, arched his body into a contortionistic 'C' shape, then pulled into a backflip roll. And, promptly overshot the next jump. He flew ass over tea kettle over the handlebars. The ATV, turned missile, skidded to a halt after tumbling about 20 yards to land upright on three tires - one was missing - with a resounding groan from the suspension.

Emmett, however, kept going. Kept rolling into the forest, laughing the whole time. He crash-landed about twenty more feet into the thick underbrush of the ancient cedars. Those poor ferns and saplings never knew what hit them. Had he been a mere mortal, he'd have looked like that Freestyle rider, Carey Hart did after he crashed hard at the '01 X-Games. Basically, he twisted up in a human pretzel and turned his insides to Jell-o. Mr. Pink has since wised up and retired from the sport.

"Woooo!" Emmett came out looking a little worse for the wear. The bill on his helmet had cracked in twain and was scant held on by a plastic bolt on one side. His knees and elbows were dirty and torn. Ground-in loam and greenery from the forest floor were embedded in his knuckles and neck, basically anywhere that wasn't covered by fabric. Speaking of fabric, the neck hole of his jersey was raggedly torn open down to his left ribs. No amount of Shout was going to get those stains out. It caused the shirt to gape to one side revealing a very nice set of man pecs. Hmm...very nice. I was thankful at that moment, Edward couldn't read my mind.

"What'll you give me for that landing?"

"I give you a big fat zero, since you wrecked your quad!" Rose was not amused at all.

"Dude, that was awesome! Do it again!" was Jasper's response.

"No!" Rose cried in agitation. Clearly she was not delighted with the idea.

"Aww, C'mon, Rosie Ratchet. Whatcha being so uptight for?"

Emmett is a dead man... Oh, wait...

"We don't have another quad for you to crash!" Rose spat. Then she narrowed her eyes at him and smiled in a sweetly sinister way. "You know, Lorena Bobbit's husband didn't listen to her either."

Emmett covered his crotch and replied, "You wouldn't."

"Oh, wouldn't I? You could re-attach it when you find it."

"He can have my Suzuki," Alice offered, then grimaced a bit. "Besides, I don't really like it. Feels like I'm constantly going to tip over. This isn't for me. I can ride shotgun in the Rhino with Bella..."

Alice nearly choked and doubled over in pain. Her features pulled into a frozen mask as she began to descry images pealing and ringing through her mind.

"Oh God, Edward, she's coming."

Edward went ramrod stiff, instantly by my side. Bike forgotten and laying on the ground.

"Who's coming? Are you okay, Alice?" Jasper was at her side looking around wildly while rubbing her back. His bike forgotten as well.

When she stood up her eyes were haunted and pained. "Edward, It's Jane. She's seen the news about you and Bella, and she's not amused."

"Jane?" Who is Jane and why is Alice seeing her? I got a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

**===Edward===**

"Jane is a member of the Volturi guard. She's a sadistic bitch who thoroughly enjoys her job as the harbinger of pain. She can drop a vampire with a single thought, leave them writhing in unimaginable agony. And, I may have pissed her off when I left her."

"Come again?" Emmett leaned closer, eyebrows shot up to his hairline.

Exhaling through clenched teeth and drawing in oxygen over my vocal cords, I began.

"I came upon the realization I didn't want this vegan lifestyle, didn't want the choices I felt were pressed upon me. Bloodlust trumped all, even my love for Carlisle and Esme. I ran as far as I could. Ran away because I was an ungrateful, tantruminic little kid."

I gave the abridged version of how I lost my mind for a while and became sort of a backwards Jack the Ripper, only preying on serial killers, rapists or worse. I used my gift to weed them out. Kill after kill, their thoughts began to echo in mine, mixing together as fodder for the viral demon housed inside of me. Their cries for mercy as I relieved them of their need to breathe wore on me more and more. Carlisle had spoken to me of the Voturi in Italy. He told me they were the royalty of our hordes. Disgusted with myself and in need of relief from the constant screams terrorizing my head, I set out on the forty-one hundred mile trip aboard a steam liner bound for Italy. I locked myself in a windowless stateroom, basically starving myself while I stayed away from the other passengers until we docked. By the time I found myself in Volterra, I was unhinged from self-denial; cracked in a village idiot sort of way.

Rosalie started to choke.

"Can it, Rosie." Emmett stared at me with the rapt attention of a diabetic in a candy shop. He gave me the rolling finger, "go ahead".

I didn't want to go into any kind of sexual descriptions of my encounter with Jane. Just gave them the shorts and the facts. Jane and I had a past, and I had left her when I was tired of the murders. Left once a certain Volturian's power faded over me. Jane did not see it my way, and we fought, which resulted in me leaving, painfully, and coming back to Carlisle and Esme.

Jasper was the first to speak up. "Man, how pissed are we talking?"

"About seventy-seven years of pissed."

"Wow, you are really old." Bella snickered.

All eyes turned to her.

"What? I'm just trying to lighten you up."

"Bella, this is serious. I think it's time for us to pack up and head home." She had no idea of what Jane was capable of. I had some planning to do and needed Jasper to help me figure this shit out.

Bella's face fell, and immediately I felt like thirteen types of asshole. With a withering look scorching me where I stood, she stalked over to the carnage left of Em's quad, only tripping slightly, and retrieved a shorn piece of a plastic fender. Tight-lipped and stiff-backed, Bella got in the Rhino clutching her prize to her chest as Alice climbed in next to her and waited expectantly for someone to lead the way to camp.

It was a long ride back to trailer city.

**===*===**

Several hours later, I deposited my very tired, still agitated girlfriend back to her father's house. I kissed her goodbye and promised I would call the next day. Bella was more than a little stand-offish with me, and to be honest, I wasn't sure if maybe it wasn't for the best right now. Alice told me it would be less than a week before Jane would find us. That time frame gave me precious few days with Jasper to work out some type of strategy. Somehow, I had a deep niggling feeling this was going to end very badly. Our vacation time in Forks was at an end.

On the way back to the house, I began to replay my time with the Volturi.

_1927 ~ 1931 _

_Echoing howls racked the iridium bone of my skull. Each gruesome spectre as ugly as the next, played like an old tin-type movie. Aro saw them all. Each kill. Each murderous taking of life. Each __'__public service__'__ I committed, ridding the populace of the most heinous dregs of society. On my knees, gorged with the foulness of each misdeed, splinters of my shredded soul were laid bare while Aro held my hand in his._

_"His mind is obviously broken." Caius accosted the air with his hand. "Kill him." His voice had a rusty quality to it, as if he didn't use it often enough. Caius' appearance and mannerisms were regal; overbearing. There was no distinction of where skin met hair. They were the same shock-white. His eyes bored into me, rusted out and hollow; bored, before dismissing my ungrateful life. _

_The thick one, Felix, moved forward to deliver a death blow by severing my head from my kneeling body. He was stayed by Aro's raised hand. My sentence commuted._

_"No, brother. That is quite unnecessary. Edward has lived his toddler years under our dear Carlisle's unnatural tutelage. He only has just given over to our baser nature. Guilt weighs heavily on this one's shoulders." When Aro spoke, words left his mouth and interspersed with the surrounding air to give it real sound. Much like the organ pipes cathedrals used to make music. _

_Each unnecessary turbine breath I took broke the quiet in the Hall of the Volturi currently occupied by eight vampires; Aro, Marcus, Caius, Felix, Demetri, Chelsea, and Renata; Aro's bodyguard. _

_"Why is he here?" Marcus inquired. "He's filthy, obviously unbalanced, his clothes are atrocious; look at his hair!" His appearance failed to disturb me as much as Aro or Caius. Marcus' dull logy blood-irises were the only specific feature standing him apart. _

_"__Edward è venuto qui per morire. Edward has come here to die__." Aro said more to himself. "But, I think not. Not yet." _

_"It is not my intention to offend. I should have assembled myself in a more respectful matter. It is my wish to die here. I seek solace and a way to silence the ghosts of my miscreation." _

_Aro leaned down to me and whispered in our kind, "There are certain members of my guard who can help with that. In fact Chelsea can make it all go away. She is quite talented in persuasion."_

_I peered into Aro's eyes. Gypsum-red irises matted by opaque lenses gazed back. His ebony haired flowed from his head in liquid grace to his shoulders and beyond. Aro's raven robe ebbed and flowed out around him as he floated back several feet. His clothing appeared to be an extension of him as it cascaded around him like a nest of eels. Aro's whole appearance was as if under water. Even more disconcerting was Renata. His shade, his shadow, his iron marionette. Choreographed to his every move, invisible gravity tractored her to him. Her staid and steadfast path was ever present in her mind. Forfend, loyalty and protection were her __mantra__._

_I found myself feeling weightless, no coherent thought would form. Renata's shield caused a buzzing in my head. _

_"No, you will not die here today. I have need of your particular talents. Chelsea? Be a dear and show Edward to his chambers for now." Aro had dismissed me. _

_"Edward, I want to leave this place," the demon warned. Once again, I denied the beast it's wishes._

_Chelsea stepped forward, and I rose to meet her. Her eyes glittered with the gluttony of human flesh. "This way, Edward."_

_She pulled me out of the room into a magnificent vestibule leading down one of many corridors. Two hooded vampires walked our way, brushing past us slowly. One looked straight ahead unconcerned by my presence. The other, eyes glowing ruby in the gaslights, appraised me. Her thoughts were carefully guarded as was everyone I came into contact with. One thought, however, did ring loud and clear. So pretty._

_Close to the end of the corridor, Chelsea opened a door showing me into my room. Before me was an opulent main room with a bed and a double doors that led to a Roman style bath. I had never seen such riches._

_Without speaking, she caught my attention. You will wait here until summoned, mind reaper._

_I nodded my acquiesce. The buzzing, thankfully, had stopped in my ears the further away Renata was. I already knew what powers some had courtesy of Aro's mind. Reading into his thoughts while he read into mine were like two lawyers sharing pertinent information of a criminal case. My supposed sins. His own lack of guilt for his sins committed. _

_If it were possible, I suppose I spent time in a form of suspended animation; never leaving the four-poster canopy bed so ostentatiously gilded with tassels and fringe. The bed clothes in palettes of brass and deep regal plum, carried depictions of stags and boars being tracked and killed by Royal hunting parties. Somehow it made me homesick for Carlisle and Esme, which only furthered my depressive quiescent state. I lacked the ambition to neither change my clothes, nor bathe. Until, Chelsea came back with another guard member. _

_Jane. Mistress Ruby Red Eyes in the corridor._

_Chelsea moved to the shadows in the corner of the room, presumably to observe. Jane removed her hood__,__ and I sucked a breath in. She had a face unlike any I had beheld before. Ether must have given birth to such a creature. Tresses the color of the first morning light framed her face. Her deeply fringed eyes; red wine. As red as mine. Her generous lips were plump mallows tinted a natural witchwood-rouge against the backdrop of flawless spindle white skin. Once Jane dropped her robe, it became abundantly clear why she was here in my room. Small in stature, she made up for it in curves. Her body a black parade of valleys and secrets. Perfect breasts pillowed the upper planes of her short frame. A flat torso led to lily tight curls hiding the inner cleave where her sweet Donatello thighs met. _

_Seduction. Entrapment._

_Jane lowered her face just slightly in a predatory manner and smiled a smile that would have terrorized and paralyzed most. But, not me. I couldn't take my eyes off her. My demon cradled and coddled to her, recognizing it's match. "Edward, forget what I said earlier, I want to stay in this place."_

_'Come, Edward, it is time for your bath.' She understood my telepathic ways and held out a single serim hand to me._

_The vile little git did a jig inside my head. In an instant I was off the bed taking her hand. She led me through the doors to the bath. The room was neo-classical in its simplicity. Flesh colored tiles lined the entire room including the bath itself. Steam rose from the water to rap itself around our ankles and snake up our legs. I was vaguely aware Chelsea had closed the doors behind us, affording some privacy. The pull I felt toward Jane was indescribable. Dormant urges surfaced as she undressed me. Once naked, she took my hand and led me into the bubbling sauna fed by natural underground hot springs._

_Thermal water tickled and licked every inch of my phyllite skin up to my chest. Jane led me to a stone seat the size of a small bed made for two and bade me sit on the edge. There were baskets of assorted gem colored glass bottles with thick liquids I could only guess were shampoos and body soaps. _

_Jane didn't speak and carefully shored up her mind, brick by brick made from the dust and bones of the dead. _

_She began to sift through the baskets of soaps and bottles, selecting what she wanted. 'Lay back, il mio caduto.' _

_I was destroyed. I did not deserve her tenderness, or endearments. Nor did I care to be called My Fallen, but was too far gone to care. Jane's hands rested on my shoulders as she came to stop between my legs where my desire was evident. She pushed with enough pressure for me to slip under like I was being anointed by Mary herself. So this was to be my baptism into the Volturi. My purging. My cleansing. How my soul needed this._

_I kept my eyes open and stayed under water for a moment to study this distorted figment come to life above me. I knew she could see my shaft pointing straight toward my chest and it twitched. The water warped my view of her until she leaned forward into the water and slid her lush curves aloft my body. Neurotic face to accepting face, silent chest to silent chest, torrid seeking sex to soft hidden sex. _

_'Edward, you are wanted here. You are welcome here.'_

_Jane's lips were so close to mine as she trilled those requisite words to me with her thoughts. I thrilled and swelled, unable to stop myself from kissing the cushion of lips that had never uttered a single word to me. The were dewy soft. Inexperienced as I was, I let instinct take over. My arms banded around her back as she rushed against me. Control left and departed with my last ribbon of sanity. No one had touched me in so long. Not willingly. I was able to touch without breaking. Without maiming. Without resultant death. _

_I sat up forcing Jane to wrap her legs around my stone hips. Our lower halves were still submerged in water, and I now understood the reason this seat was shaped as it was. It was a bed. There was no need for breath for us, so if we chose to, we could make love completely subsurface. If this was to by my first time, I'd rather it be this way. She attacked my mouth with her tongue and I parried to meet hers. Her hands made their way to my face and held me tight as she tilted her head to deepen our kiss. I slid my hands up her ribs to her breasts and palmed them from the side. They were so softly resilient, and her nipples peaked and hardened under my feasting ministrations. She broke the seal on our mouths to lean back and put her hands on my thighs behind her back. _

_'Kiss them, Amore.'_

_Her petal nipples jutted forward, beckoning me to put my mouth on them. They were as velvet, slick from the water as I dined on her flesh. Her skin tasted of firmament and fire. Taste and smell. Jane leaned back without breaking contact from my mouth and took hold of my shaft as it pulsed with a thump so close to a real heartbeat I groaned against her chest. Her right hand began a descent toward the base and smoothed back up so achingly slow, I felt the tiniest bit of venom free itself from the rise of my sex. Her other hand was soothing and teasing the base and down to the sac below. Jane cupped the tautly corrugated skin and began tugging and rolling with her knowing fingers. The combination of her ministrations and my consumation of her breasts were my undoing. I came in the swirling waters we were encased in. Sparkling venom swirled in the fizzing mixture of bubbles and boiling aquifer. Jane lay her head on my shoulder as I unleashed her nipple from the confines of my lips and blades of teeth. _

_"__La ringrazio, signora mia." Thank you, my lady. And, I was thankful. I had no experience to drew upon in a sexual matter. _

_"il mio piacere." My pleasure._

_Jane reached for an amber glass bottle she selected earlier. Pouring the rich liquid in her hands, she began lathering my hair, working my scalp with the scrape of her fingernails. My head lolled forward from the sensations as a spicy cinnamon bark scent assaulted and assuaged me. I cataloged that scent in my mind. She used circular motions and once satisfied with her work, once again pushed me lightly to lean back to rinse my hair out. Next, she picked up a plush hand towel and poured a clean-scented liquid from a crystal bottle. This she used to wash me, thoroughly from head to toe. Once she was done, I was past ready for another gambol into sexuality. This time, though, I wanted to take her on the four poster bed. Wanted my first time to be in a real bed._

_She eyed my speculatively, appreciatively. I grabbed a luxurious sheet towel from the ledge and stood up, pulling Jane out of the pool with me. The floor length towel enveloped her body as well as mine. I rubbed her down, paying special attention to her sculpted curves and byways. Wrenching her up in my arms for another sealing kiss, towel forgotten on the tiles, I raced her, in a fashion, to the bed. And, now relied completely upon my instincts as a male._

_I was now consumably entrapped in Chelsea's rabbit snare of dependency upon Jane._

_Captivated. Imprisoned. Willingly._

_Later on as relative time passed, Jane's predilection for ghastly deeds became clear. Her unnatural relationship with her twin brother, Alec was most unsettling. Not incestuous, just twin sadists with terrible unlimited powers. Aro, Marcus or Caius would dole punishment, Jane would set up the pain, Alec would knock them down with all deprivations of the senses. At least Felix dealt his punishment swift and sure. His soul bore a whiteness most lacked. Oh, he had no problem killing. He just took no pleasure from the act as others did._

_Whenever a new vampire was born and caught, punishment came in the form of Hell's hounds. No trying to mold. No trying to tame and command. Only the promise of talent survived. All others were cattle to be disposed of. No more than a flea in a cur's coat. To be ripped from the flesh it grew fat on and squashed under the foot of the self autonomous trinity. _

_Even the citizens of Volterra revered the triad. The sainted benefacto. Gave grand tributes and crowds of fanfare to St. Marcus who had driven the vampires out. Little did they know. Stupid food!_

_I lived among th__is__ misbegotten aristocracy. A shiny chess piece. The rook. I alone held power even over the twain bishops of suffering. My gift of divining and pilfering thoughts gave me advantage. Every ill intention, every thought of malcontent became public knowledge. I easily gave them all up. _

_Grandiose libraries held volume upon volume __of __rare __books__, literary manuscripts, scrolls and pieces of irreplaceable value, and at my disposal. While I languished in my own gluttony, I became well__-__versed in many languages. Read of war, famine, pestilence. Read of hope, of kith and kin, of love which transcended time. _

_Humans were brought in for our feeding. Servants delivered the living food to us quite like the Greeks being brought bread, cheese, and wine. Somehow their cries for clemency fell on deaf ears as they were ripped and torn asunder by our blood beseeching fiends. Never once did I feel remorse. Never once did I think to stop myself. Blessed numbness. I was a god in my own right. But, gods do topple and fall. _

_I remember my exact moment of clarity. It was the moment Aro sent Chelsea with Demetri, our tracker, to Ireland to root out supposed traitors to the crown royal. Her hold on me must have slipped. I finally saw what was really going on around me with all the lucidity of a graduated college student. I felt as if I had been away at University seeking knowledge, seeking pleasure, seeking absolution from my own immaturity, but, really only majoring in bloodlust101. I almost earned my masters._

_Jane no longer held any attraction as a great beauty. Her luster sanded away to reveal the ugliness. All sparkly crystalline on the outside, but cold, and hollow on the inside. A reverse geode. My apathy became evident over the next day as the last vestiges of ignorance bubbled and melted away leaving only the horrid truth. I no longer could endure the machinations of power hungry claim jumpers. Their claim to be overlords of our kind. _

_Through clear eyes, I was aware now how I was strung up and moved as a pawn, not as a rook at all. Three and a half years had passed since I left Carlisle and a quietly sobbing Esme. I was homesick. _

_I was in deep trouble if I didn't find a way to get out of Volterra with my head intact. _

_Finding Aro in his chambers, I bent to him, holding out my hand for him to take. For him to see what I couldn't find the words to say. _

_"Ah, I knew this day would come. Carlisle's teachings would reign. His proposed abstinence from the very thing we were designed to do." Aro sighed heavily. "Jane will be most displeased, but I do believe Demetri will keep her distracted for a while."_

_It should have cut that he was aware of Jane's infidelities with Demetri. Although, it was no secret to me, no one ever spoke of it. Six months of Demetri taunting me with images of Jane and him in several gravity defying positions didn't bother me at all. In fact, I welcomed her indiscretions, and had not touched a single inch of her body since. _

_Aro and I spoke for many hours, and I couldn't believe my luck that he would allow me to go. After all, he had allowed Carlisle to leave all those years ago. _

_Needless to say, Jane had NOT taken it well. Never in the years I had been there did she once let loose her terrible power on me. She actually laughed, and her eyes gleamed with the joy of a boy setting an anthill on fire. Demetri, now back from the hunt, stood __kowtowed__ behind her, but howling with laughter in his slimy, vitreous mind. Nothing was held back. I felt as if my molecules were rearranged, each shredded into a thousand rivulets of torrential lava. Bones breaking, then breaking again, only to be melted into white-hot cells, splitting and splintering. This was to be my penance after all. To burn at the hands of Jane, the god killer. _

_The only reason the soul stripping finally stopped was Felix roaring for it to end. For Jane to halt her war upon my body. Felix's white soul won out. _

_She stopped and leaned down to my worn body. "You will never be completely free of me."_

**===*===**

My resolve was set. I knew what I had to do.

I had to cut Isabella Swan out from my life to save hers.

One problem was I didn't know how, nor did I know if I possessed the strength.

_Nooooooo!! _My fiend howled like those loathsome werewolves. It was then I understood why they cried so lonely to the fat pale orb suspended in the dark blue of night.

**===*===**

**Viola said there was no way Edward would ever have submitted himself to Jane unless he was sick in the head. **

**Was it ugly? Are you mad? Are you happy for some insight? Now you know why Jane is coming after Edward...Lover (whether ill or unjust) scorned. Push that green review button thing and let me know what you think.**

**And, PLEASE, if you haven't already, go to The Fandom Gives Back for Alex's Lemonade Stand for the fight against childhood cancer. http://thefandomgivesback[dot]proboards[dot]com **

**So many of my girls are peddling their wares to the highest bidders. I flounder and humble myself at their feet for such a noble cause.**


	16. Spark Arrester

**Happy New Year!**

**I hope everyone was kept safe and will have so much to look forward to in the new year!**

**Viola Cornuta is such a wonderful creature. Selfless, kind, dirty, like-minded and witty as hell. I love you and right now ignoring the flashy thingy telling me you are trying to chat with me. Kari, thank you for pre-reading and encouraging. I hope you like this as much as I loved the newest update to Broken Doll. (link on profile)**

**I had the pleasure of doing a round robin story with the Dead Confederate gals for goldenmeadow's birthday. Funny, smutttty, and witty. I will link on the bottom.**

**Here's some transition and moving ahead...**

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No copyright infringement is intended.

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**Chapter 16**

**Spark Arrester**

**===Bella===**

Dawn. My heart quickened to a chill as realization set in. Edward was going to leave me. Helen Keller, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder put together would've seen _that_ coming. The set of his jaw, the chaste kiss to my cheek, being too ready to push me through the front door, all but smacking me in the middle of my ass with the doorknob. To leave me floundering and fettered in the misery of our deafeningly silent ride home.

Sca-rew that! Edward had another thing coming if he thought he was going to push me out of his un-life. He loved me, I loved him. Simple math, right? Besides, I was pretty confident my ally, Alice, who worked so hard to push us together, would never let Edward get away with sinking back into his wet blanket, disconsolate moods. None of his family were going to let him stink it all up again.

All of this angst becausesome _bitchling _thinks she had the whole '_woman scorned' blah, blah, blah, _bullshit, market cornered. After spending time with five vampires all weekend, I was positive I didn't stand a chance, strength-wise, against her. But, I had some things she didn't.

_His love...a heart beat...my werewolves..._

I had no doubt my wolves would protect me. They were itching for a fight. Especially since I wouldn't let them whup up on the Cullens. Hell, Leah alone was a force to be reckoned with.

Shaking off the last clingy holds of sleep, I got out of bed to use the bathroom. While sitting down to pee, familiar cramps clenched and burned inside me. Great! Auntie Flow came to visit. Well, at least _that_ consideration was out. Edward and I had not used any protection. He's dead, and I'm pretty sure what came out of his glorious dick was not really cum. Even his saliva wasn't "normal". Nothing could taste that good and be mere mortal body fluids.

I hopped in the shower while hostessing my own pity party. _Swan, table for one! _ Instead of a quickie rinse, I opted for a longer, stinging hot soak. I had knots to work out from sleeping in a RV bed for the last few days. Oh, and hot vampire sexin'. I snorted at my own absurdity. Maybe I had given myself a little too easy. Maybe I had let it all happen too fast. But, I was certain my feelings were very real. Having nothing really to go by other than the fact I had had no other real boyfriends who mattered to me at all. _Damn him for gifting me self-doubt!_

With hot water spraying down from the twin turbo water canons of a shower head, I fell into a dreamy state of mind, wandering back to one of our sexcapades in the forest. My very center yearned and clenched as I held dear to my heart, several particular memories left over from the best weekend I had ever spent in my life...

_Edward took me out for a spin in the Rhino, taking it over trails, farther and farther into the woods. He packed a light picnic basket and grabbed a blanket to put over my lap like we were on an all-terrain sleigh ride. We weren't wearing helmets this time and had forgone our riding gear for soft sweatshirts, jeans and hiking boots. Since my hands were free to roam, I used an __opportune moment to bury my fingers in his wind-burned hair. He closed his eyes for a moment while I massaged the base of his scalp, luxuriating as I pressed hard with my fingers. _

_We reached a spot by a twining brook, fed by several small waterfalls. A wide spot pooled then spilled down another ledge forming more small chutes of water. Wild fronds of ferns curled and cued as if gnarled green fingers flexed and sprang forth from the thickly tufted bases. It was really romantic...really, if you didn't already come from an area that boasted pretty much the same flora and fauna. But, anywhere with Edward would be romantic for me. _

_Edward spread our blanket out for us in a spot under a giant spruce. Layers upon layers of sharp pine needles emitted a mentholistic balm, burning my nose with their tart scent as we packed them down with our weight. I told Edward I wasn't hungry just yet, so we reclined on our plaid patch, enjoying our time together._

_"So, how are you really taking this all in?"_

_My lips pursed in thought. "If I hadn't grown up knowing anything better, I'd probably be running for the hills. Although, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't get far. I'd trip over a gnarled-up tree root, or I don't know, over 'air' like the heroine always does in a horror movie."_

_"You definitely wouldn't stand a chance in the running department." Edward looked down with a grimace. Kind of like the one you get when your hoof-in-mouth disease kicks in. I would know. I'd made that face plenty of times. Jake once told me I should really learn to walk on my ass cheeks, 'cause it's really hard to walk with both your feet stuck in your mouth. _

_"Thanks for noticing!" playfully punching Edward in his shoulder. My knuckles cracked from the impact. It did smart a bit, but no injury. _

_Immediately, Edward had my hand in his performing a thorough inspection of my fingers and knuckles. When he brought them to his lips to suck lightly on them, then moved on to the meat of my palm, pleasure ripped through my middle. I saw his nostrils flare slightly as he took a deep breath over my wrist. His Adam's apple bobbed prevalently again._

_"Edward, why do you swallow so much?"_

_"You haven't guessed why yet?"_

_"Well, no. I haven't. I guess you do it when you are in close proximity with me?"_

_"Yes. Imagine depriving yourself from your most basic cravings. Whether it be sugary foods, warm bread and butter, or a perfectly cooked steak. Certain smells trigger your saliva glands. My venom acts the same way, and in your case, your skin, hair, blood...arousal trigger mine."_

_"So, what you're really saying is I smell like a very rare steak?"_

_"Yes. And, right now, I'd like to nibble on your rare parts." _

_Edward laid me back on our blanket, unwrapping me from my clothing like an sneaky boy, who already knows his first slingshot is underneath. When I was completely bare, he settled between my legs, pushing them wide before licking me from the bottom of my mound to the very tip top. Sucking in my clit, he reached under my knees and brought my feet to rest on his shoulders. He made it so I had leverage to move my hips while he held me down by the joint of my thighs and hip bone. Letting go of my central pleasure nerve, he slid on long finger up __and entered me, curling up hitting yet another tingling nerve. He continued to use his tongue to flutter around my secret skin, laving up once again to consume and sup on my clit. _

_Three. Two. One. Detonation. I went from zero to sixty in three point three seconds. My climax hit with the ferocity of a mach-two jet plane. Ripped straight up the middle, two halves split raggedly, then sewn together in a transcending flash. I came down to earth, hyper-aware of every sound, every scent of the forest, pungent and crisp. Edward removed my feet from his shoulders and placed them on the blanket while I caught myself enough to garble out a windy thank you. _

_"No thank you necessary. Simple applause and bowing will do." THAT grin, blinding, beautiful grin. Simple, sexy, genuine. Infectious. Completely full of himself. _

_"Really? So sure of yourself, Raceward?"_

_"Not completely." His pearlies showed otherwise._

_"Let's see how you do in a bit." He let me push him back onto our plaid square of heaven. I imagined he was quite immovable, but now putty in my hands. It was my turn to curl his toes. This was unventured ground - nouveau marque. _

I slowly unbuttoned the metal tab and released the rest of the dye cast rivets. Edward's erection sprang free from the confines of his 501's. I knew he wasn't wearing any _chones_, because, well, I'd lasciviously watched him dress this morning. He was magnificent. Even more so than a few days ago when we were on our way back from The Brooklyn Tavern. This time it was encased in the sun's warm glove. I held it, weighed it, tested it's springiness; it's breadth. True to the rest of his coruscate skin, his erection illuminated, although, not flashy. It reminded me of my shimmer lotion from Bath and Bodyworks. His dick stood at an utter soldiers attention, ready for its call to duty.

Edward lifted when I motioned for him to move so I could pull his jeans off. His boots stopped me so he quickly doffed those. Once those were gone, I kept my eyes from his erection in favor of rucking his sweatshirt and undershirt up over his head. When gloriously naked, I sat back to appraise the tableau set before me. A pale God of War came to mind again. He had taken several stances since I had met him, all reminding me of the vengeful deity. His heavy length swelled even more under my perusal, flexed and stood up, bobbing and weaving. I swear the glistening slit at the end winked at me before nestling back up against his hard belly.

_The head was ripe and round, its opening narrow, welling with the promise of spillage. I swooped in to rub the smooth velvet over my cheek, across my lips. He groaned. I touched my tongue to the tip to have my first taste. . So clean. So cloyingly delicious. Edward whimpered when I took the head in the cave of my mouth and farther down. Without an iota of background in this department, I ran on instinct. Subtle and not so subtle clues spurred me on. Every moan, every fret guided me. Edwards hands, previously clutching at his sides, gave up the ghost and reached up, shakily, to tangle at the back of my head. _

_I kept my eyes open the entire time. I didn't want to miss a thing. Where I knelt, I had a spectacular view of Edward's face. The rise and fall of his chest as it rose and faltered. I employed the use of both my hands, performing a balance act on my knees, steeling my spine while my left hand touched and pinched the billowy skin of his sac. My right hand stroked him in time with my mouth. Tandemly, they worked together to create the right amount of pleasure. The viscosity of my saliva, mixed with his freshly leaking fluid, allowed my hand and mouth to slip and slide the slope of his erection. _

_His venom, as he told me, lined the channels of his veins, pulsed in the thick conduit underneath the edifice occupying my mouth, and his sac began to pull up, straining against his groin. Edward was close to his end. His knees began to shake, and he dug his feet into the earth where they reached out over the too short fleece of our blanket. Any second now..._

_I hollowed out my cheeks and sped up my ministrations. His chest rumbled, and his kissable lips broke apart as he dragged in a ragged breath and cried out. Not being quite prepared for his cum, it hit the inside of my cheeks and tongue. I tried to swallow some, really I did. It's not that the liquid tasted bad, quite the contrary. There was just so much of it. His thick essence leaked out the seal I had with my lips, over my fingers, and down my forearm where it dribbled onto the blanket. _

_Edward released his hold on my hair and scalp. I was really impressed he didn't rip my hair out by the roots. It must have taken a great deal of restraint on his part not to. I sat back and wiped his serous from my mouth and chin. His eyes, gone barbaric, gleamed and stared back into mine. He never looked so uncivilized, so uncontrolled. I turned my head to one side never taking my eyes from his. His face and neck tracked my slight movement. Predator. _

_Something told me to not run, while another voice screamed, 'Jesus! Move your ass, Bella, GO!' I stayed rooted. He screwed his eyes shut tightly and panted for a moment. Panted like the scary zombie people on 'I Am Legend'. He's a freak! When he reopened his eyes, my Edward was back. His control carefully leashed once again. _

_"Bella. That was as close to touching the sun as I think I have ever been. Thank you." Edward adulated over me as he pulled me in his lap. I collapsed into his arms, euphoric in my accomplishment. I had given him an orgasm I'm sure rivaled mine._

The water became cold, snapping me out of my reverie. I quickly got out and toweled off. Invigorated. My decision made. I was heading to the Cullens' in my revived Chevy.

When I arrived at the Cullen's home. Empty. Cars gone from garage. Empty. I peeked in through the narrow window next to the front door. Everything still in place, yet, not an un-living soul to be found. I decided to try the door and found it unlocked, so being the great cat burglar I am, I let myself in and added breaking and entering as my first offense to my just newly made up list of criminal activities. The door creaked ominously._ Really? Are you kidding me?_ It didn't do that the last time I was here. Seriously just added to the over all creepiness of the situation.

_OK, Bella, here are some base rules I think you should heed. __  
_  
_Rule number one: don't sneak up on vampires, let alone B & E their residence.__  
__  
__Rule number two: maybe stay home if you're on your period. Just saying. _

SLAM!

_Holy shit! _

_Rule number three: don't let your overactive imagination play tricks on you._

Okay, I made that last one up, because right then the enormous front door kicked shut on its own. A piece of folded stationary floated off the table next to the door and onto the tile. Add federal tampering with U.S. mail to my growing criminal list.

**===*=== **

_Dearest Bella, _

_I knew/saw (whatevs) you were coming, so I left the door unlocked. So sorry, but your criminal record is still el zippo. Rest assured, we will not let Ediot get away with this behavior. Give him a few days to stew on his actions and know we are making his life utter hell right now. BTW, Em burgled/stole/borrowed/helped himself to one of your T-shirts just to mess with Edward's sense of smell. You shouldn't mind, it was really ugly. _

_See you in Sonoma!_

_Sweetly yours, Alice Cullen-Hale, Soothsayer Extraordinaire _

_P.S. I know, right? What's up with the door? _

**===*=== **

Jesus, Alice was one spooky individual, and I loved her all the more for it. Just the fact they were all pulling for me by making Edward's life miserable, was almost reparation enough for him to pay before we all met up at the Shootout. Almost.

Wait until I got a hold of him...

**===Edward===**

The Infineon Speedway Shootout Race brought out a lot of fans especially since the tickets were cheaper. More fans meant more excitement and caused a lot of ruckus. In spite of my self, I knew this was going to be fun and the familiar excitement began to settle on me.

This race was really very simple. One hundred eighty-seven miles done in two segments. The first twenty-five laps were timed to get us started. Then, there was a ten minute intermission in which we were allowed to work on our cars for any last minute work normally done during a pit stop. Then we all lined back up, in order of our fastest time, and dashed fifty laps to the finish. By the end of the race, our competitive juices would be flowing. I still remembered seeing the first Busch Clash shootout in 1979.

The best part was the racing was all done at night time. We could wear short sleeves if we wanted, hell we could run around naked if we wanted without one hint of sparkle. _Sparkle, again, how is that an evolution of vampirism? What purpose did it serve? _

Every depth of hell I went through, every ribbing and cold shoulder of my family, even when Emmett pilfered one of Bella's shirts and rubbed her unmistakable balminess on my bedding and clothing, melted away when I caught scent of my Bella in living Technicolor. The very sight of her felt as if tumblers shifted and lined up to unlock the steel door of emotion I'd padlocked shut. She was my master key. She was my salvation.

_What the hell am I thinking? Where am I going to go? There is no place to hide on this earth where I could stop thinking about her, stop tasting her on my tongue, stop feeling her move through every atom of my body. _

_Will she forgive me? _

_Forgive me, Bella, for I have sinned. It's been four agonizing days since I saw you last, since I left you on your father's doorstep. __F__our days since my last confession of love. And, for that, I will perform my penance in your name. Sacrilege. Sanctification. _

Armed with only my resolve to seek her acquittance of my idiocy, I set off for my race car where Rosalie was installing the stainless steel drag blocks underneath the frame. These were for show only. Real crowd pleasers.

Wolves. The stench was unforgivable. Apparently natures way of letting us know they were in our vicinity. If my eyes and nose could have watered, they'd be streaming in buckets. I really thought we had reached an accord; however judging by the looks on their faces and the eruption of snarls, things had regressed. Jake had just come out from Bella's car where it sat on the lift. Others were milling about shooting glares in our direction.

Antagonistic sounds rebounded from my garage. Rosalie and Jasper were the loudest. Alice was already up on the grandstands to spot. Carlisle and Esme were at their command posts with small smiles on their lips. They had come back from the Galapagos Isles in good spirits and thoroughly rejuvenated.

Emmett snarled back at the wolves too, but his were spilling from lips grinning ear to ear. He kept skipping around our bay, "rawring" and "hissing". Clearly, this was funny to him. This only served to rile up Bella's crew even further, until Emmett suddenly shouted, "Snarl contest after the race! Place your bets here."

The poor racers and crews in between our bays kept to themselves, steadfastly ignoring the ribbing going on around them. I truly believe they were a bit scared and a whole lot of uncomfortable. Smart people.

**===Bella===**

Yeah, I saw the bastard. Saw his look of self-piteousness. Saw him mooning in my direction. Good! Served the fucker right.

The crew was on edge, pacing back and forth after gleaning from me there might be visitors of the bloodsucking variety. Since the pack was not on their own grounds, there was nothing they could do about the un-invited. But they were ready. We were located in the wine country of California. There were mountains, vineyards and lots of hills where the vamps could be forced to go, should a fight break out.

Right now, they were doing their freaky-deaky, Vulcan mind-meld thingy. I could tell. They weren't speaking.

"Snarl-off contest. Place your bets here!" Emmett! I shucked my head around, tsking as I was race time. _Let's get it on! Cullen, I'm coming for ya! _I took one last look towards the crew in time to see Jake's hands fishing deep in his pockets. He then pulled them out to give Em the one-finger salutations. Swiveling back to look at Emmett, I saw his hands dug deep in his armpits, then he whipped them out, sniffing deeply at his middle fingers like Mary Catherine Gallagher from '_Superstar_'. Boys! I didn't care what side of the supernatural tracks they were from. God, I loved Em. Sure was going to miss him.

Giggling, I slid into my safety seat, all harness points secured while Leah snapped metal buckles into place. A feeling of coming home pressed its puzzle pieces together in my heart as my behemoth of an engine fired up. I gave my benison to all the racers, praying for safety.

I was hoping my premonitory dreams weren't about to come true. I hadn't told Edward or anyone else about these dreams and was beginning to doubt the soundness of my actions.

**===Pack===**

**Its just one of those days, **

**Where you don't want to wake up. ****  
****Everything is fucked, ****  
****Everybody sucks. ****  
****You don't really know why, ****  
****But you wanna justify, ****  
****Rippin someones head off. **

_Fuckers! - _Jake

_Second that! - _Sam

**No human contact, ****  
****and if you interact, ****  
****your life is on contract.****  
**

_Help me out, guys. I really want a piece of blondie! - _Leah

_Fuck Blondie, oops, sorry Leah! By all means, I don't blame you. I'd want a piece of that too. I mean, uh...I want a go at the big guy. - _Seth

_I call the peckerhead with the scars! - _Quil

**It's all about the he-says, she-says bullshit, **

**I think you better quit, let the shit slip ****  
****Or you'll be leaving with a fat lip. **

_One more look in this direction and Bloodsport V is gonna happen . Van Damme ain't seen nothin' like this type of smack down'! - _Embry

**Its just one of those days ****  
****Feeling like a freight train. ****  
****First one to complain, ****  
****Leaves with a bloodstain**.

_Easy, boys...and Leah. We've still __got a race to put on. - _Sam

_Shut it, Sam..._ - Leah

**Your best bet is to stay away motherfucker, ****  
****It's just one of those days **  
**I think you better quit, talking that shit. **

**Ohh, so come and get it. **

_Bella deserves better than this. Wish she would've listened to us. - _Leah

_She's gotta do it on her own. I have a feeling things aren't done yet. - _Sam

_Yeah, look at Sparkles, the Carrot Top. He's got it bad too...OW!! Don't hit me, Quil. It hurts my feelings. - _Seth

**I hope you know, I pack a chainsaw. ****  
****I'll skin your ass raw, ****  
****And if my day keeps going this way, I just might ****  
****Break your fucking face tonight. ****  
**  
_Oh, that big motherfucker's on the funny side of business. Snarl-off, my balls! I'll take that bet. - _Jake

**Punk**

**So come and get it. ****  
**

**===Bella===**

Showers of white-hot sparks flew from underneath the chassis like tracers in between rounds of ammunition. Mini ballistic flints of steel shavings flared as undercarriage met asphalt, earning the oohs and aahs from the crowd. I was sure the light display put on by our cars was something to behold. I had seen this race in the past and knew first hand the giddiness the fireworks show brought on. The darkness of the night, combined with the drag blocks installed under our cars, put on a show every time our frames bottomed out just enough to drag them along the asphalt.

Edward and I played a cat and mouse game through the entire race. He was the Tom to my Jerry. However, Jerry always got the upper hand, and in this case was no exception. I even nosed too closely to him a few times like he had done to me that fateful day he had caused my to kill my old Chevy. The day I learned he and his family were vampires. I laughed into the microphone of my helmet. Even saw him whip his head in my direction as if he heard me. I couldn't see his face, but I'm sure it wasn't pleasant.

The checkered flag loomed and waved right in front of me as I hurtled by at 185 miles per hour.

I won! Holy shit, I won! I earned the right to go in the infield green and do burn outs! Holeee Baby Jesus!

"Christ riding on crackers! You did it, Bella!" Jake came over the helmet com. I could hear the crew whooping it up in the background. "We beat the leeches. We beat the leeches!" All in sing song.

The crowd went insane! Starlights flashed and twinkled from a thousand cameras. I out-drove dozens of men with a lot of testosterone at stake. I drove like my hair was on fire. There had been some incredible wrecks. I danced around them, even pirouetted in circles once, trying to avoid a nasty one. The cement wall loomed once, twice, three times before I was able to correct the steering. My car didn't come out unscathed though. The flap on my roof kept banging up and down from when a loose tire hit the top of my car, denting it with the velocity of a streaming comet. Scared the hell out of me. I ducked like you do when a bird comes flying at your windshield.

But, now, none of it mattered. I was gonna get _my_ go in the infield, then drive to Victory Lane. I was exhausted. I was exhilarated. I was still stewing in my own juices over Edward Cullen standing by the crowd watching me. Every now and again, I would covertly, or what I thought was covertly, look in his general direction. He stood there looking like a modern day Genghis Khan. _Hmm...armor, riding a horse, swinging a sword. Stop it! Focus. You're mad at him. _I posed for photos with so many people, I lost count. Some shyly asked for a hug, while others boldly asked for a kiss on the cheek. One of the interviewers was a local TV news correspondent, who asked me how it felt to be the first woman to win the Shootout race. I had few words as I became too choked up to answer. After my interviews, picture taking, and autograph signings, Edward was still waiting in the wings.

_You know what? He can wait some more. Exit stage left, Bella. And the best part? __  
_

_No evil, red-eyed midget out to get me. _

**===Edward===**

I heard every single disgusting thought going through the minds of every single male in the crowd. I didn't like it. I kept my arms crossed and hands buried in my armpits to keep from swinging at the closest man available. The demon had grown more ugly, more menacing, pacing, clacking its tail against the stone walls I was barely able to keep mured. He called to me, begging for the keys like the dog in _Pirates of the Caribbean._ I wanted to murder the whole lot for the lusty, crude thoughts many of them were having. But, I couldn't. I couldn't make a scene. So here I was, standing here like idiot, waiting for her attention like some attention-starved child. She was going to get a piece of my mind whether she wanted it or not.

There was no excuse for the way she drove today. Purposefully goading me. She almost wrecked, even when I did my best to shield her. I had to back off to keep her in one piece. The last of the crowd dispersed, but not before I caught the sound of her choking up when she was asked how she felt about being the first woman to ever win the Shootout race. My chest swelled and began a hollow throb. I rubbed at the spot where my aching heart should be beating. I was proud of her. Bella had outperformed all the other men. Me included. But, I already knew she was out of my league. And, knowing that, I again redoubled my feelings to keep her at a distance.

_Finally! __She's free_. I sped to her, effectively cutting off her escape route, taking care to not look out of the ordinary. "You want to tell me just what the hell you were doing on the asphalt out there? Are you trying to get your damn self killed?"

"Why, Cullen, you sure know how to make a girl feel loved. All nutted up and shit. Why do you give a fuck what happens to me? You are the one who disappeared from Forks. You are the one who hasn't returned a single phone call. A single text. So, shove the fuck off!"

My jaw hit the floor. No one besides Rosalie ever talked to me like that. Rose...I could handle. Bella...not so much.

Bella stalked away from me. I wasn't about to let her. Turns out I didn't have to. She spun on me with a wrath I should have seen coming.

"It's been four days of radio silence, Edward. You left me high and dry in Forks without asking me how I felt. You take your love away just because you're afraid of me getting hurt by some 9-Volt bitch who hasn't gotten over losing you, not because she loved you, just lost you as a possession. I'm not without protectors. You've seen my wolves, right?"

"I don't know if I'm strong enough to watch anything happen to you. Bella, you don't even understand what the Volturi are capable of. They don't refrain from killing. They drink the blood of humans. Most shreds of humanity have long ago been bleached from their systems by a broken and apathetic monarchy."

"Jesus, I'm not even going to pretend I understand what your last sentence meant. But, I say _bring it_, if or when she comes."

I couldn't believe this brittle human girl, the girl I loved with my entire fabric of being was standing in front of me goading me. A fired-up kiln ready to blast me with her infernal piss and vinegar. Sexy as hell. Despite of her anger towards me, my seventeen-year-old self warred with my ninety-one year-old vampire. The vampire won out.

"Bella, Jane is capable of incapacitating you with a thought. She can manipulate your mind to make you think you are in the most excruciating pain. Your human body will give out, and I can't have it! I..." I took a deep breath, sighing heavily.

"How long, Edward? How long do you even think I will wait for you? You were my first, thank you very much. And, now you're leaving me? Fuck this! I'm out. Glad we had this little talk. Now if you'll excuse me...I'm going to go find _Leah _to get drunk with!" She emphasized Leah's name. I knew what she was getting at.

I still had a hold of her elbow, and she jerked it away fiercely. I was going to do it. Just let her walk away. Crushing pain passed through me while the demon howled and howled in rage. _No! _It bellowed. _Moron! I won't let you do it. I need her, you need her. _

She got about twenty-five feet away before my demon took over and pounced. I landed right in front of her. She feinted to the left, then tried to go right to get around me.

"What the fuck, Edward? Get out of the way. Leave me alone."

She had tears in her eyes. Oh, Jesus, tears. My doing.

"Bella, I have never spent so much time explaining myself to anyone in my life. You will not go out drinking and do something stupid!"

"Yeah, Edward? You're acting all white knight and crap to protect me. You're not even giving me a chance to make my own decisions. So, I'm going to do whatever I want. What're you going to do about it?"

"This." I grabbed her to me, placed one hand behind her head and the other on her cheek and kissed her for all she was worth, which was everything. I wasn't gentle either as my lips mashed to hers, my tongue trying to gain access. Bella didn't move a muscle. She kept her hands by her sides and remained as still as a statue. Ripping my lips from hers, I looked into the face of my Athena. And, true to form, her eyes blazed with a fury unlike anything I had ever witnessed.

Resolve flinted in her cedar eyes as her hand shot up and smacked me, rather impressively, across my face. I deserved that. Then she did it again and again once more.

"Don't. Don't ever touch me again," Bella said while she rubbed her hand.

Sighing deeply, I held me hand out to her. "Let me see."

"No. Enough. You're giving me whiplash."

"I know, me too. I'm sorry. The demon inside won't let you go."

"Your _demon?_ That's a poor excuse, Edward. What about _you?"_

"I...I can't either. I've been a coward by taking your choice away, because it's easier for me than to stand by and see you possibly murdered by a mistake from my past. I couldn't live with myself. I am sorry, Bella."

"Damn straight you are, Ediot!"

_Who...?_

**===B****ella===**

Grabbing Edward by the hair and shoulder, I kissed him as hard as I could. Our teeth clanked together causing my bottom lip to cross one of his shiv-like teeth. I tasted a tinge of copper and a slight singe as if being cauterized. He shuddered from head to toe and soothed at my cut with his tongue, belting my body tightly within his arms. But I was having none of it. He had a week's worth of _fuck-you-very much _to make up for.

"God, I've missed you, Bella."

"Shut up. I don't like you right now, so a little less conversation, a lot more action."

Edward pulled back slightly from the mugging of his mouth to grin his evil dazzler at me, and smirk, "Elvis?"

"Shut it and bring your face right back here. I mean it."

And, the battle attack began in earnest, munching and sampling his scrumptious, snack-able lips.

"Put your back into it, Cullen. Find us a bit more privacy, now."

"Bossy Beaver."

"Oh, you have no idea just how bossy my beaver can be. Now hop to it."

Next thing I knew, wind was whistling in my ears at an aerodynamic pace, and we were in an elevator of some hotel I didn't recognize, listening to an instrumental version of '_Don't you want me baby?'_

"You staying here?"

"Nope. You?"

"You don't have a room here?"

"Un-unh. That a problem, Swan?"

"Nope." It was like having a conversation with Charlie. Speaking of Police Chief Swan, add another B & E charge to my _America's Most Wanted List._

The floor light stopped on the third floor, because this hotel only had three floors to begin with, and Edward cautiously stuck his head out, his nostrils flaring slightly. He gripped my hand in his and stepped out into the garishly lit hallway. Every color in there was some sort of mustard yellow. I couldn't have cared less, I was going to get me my first make-up sex.

Edward sniffed delicately at a door sectioned off from others by several yards. "Good. Non-smoking room."

"Cullen, we breathe toxic fumes for a living, and you're worried about non-smoking rooms?"

"All the better to smell you with, m'dear."

"Isn't that the Big Bad Wolf's line?"

"Yeah, yeah, shut it, Swan." Edward broke the door, flung me over his shoulder where I had an amazing view of his pinchable ass, which I did, repeatedly. He kicked the door behind him hard enough to make sure it stuck in the jam, and threw me onto the bed.

His breathing sped almost imperceptibly. "There are approximately eleven people having sex in this hotel right now."

"Eleven?" I queried.

"Threesome."

"Two girls and a guy?"

"Nope."

"Well, as interesting as that may be..." I patted the bed next to me and gave him my best _get-the-fuck-over-here_ look. Edward didn't oblige immediately, but did dip down for a kiss, then straightened again. I shivered as he began to pull his zipper down derailing the teeth from his neck to his crotch and peel away the rest down to his feet. Sitting up on my knees, I mimicked his movements until we were both naked as the day we kicked into this world. Our race-suits mingled together on the floor, the arms and legs intertwined intimately.

Heart squeaking and hiccuping, I stood and wrapped myself around Edward, body and spirit. We were where we were meant to be. Although, unable to resist, I slapped at his chest in a pout.

"What was that for?"

"I'm not sure I'm done being mad at you yet."

"Well, feel free to kick my ass while you're naked anytime." _Oooh, he thinks he's so charming... _

"On your back, now." I pointed to the bed. "I'm going to fuck a few things out of your system!" I observed his throat swallowing rapidly in time with the tick-tick-tick of his cock as it trembled. He actually appeared afraid. "Oh, please. Let me have a little talk with your demon."

Edward laid down on the bed and I came up, straddling his ribs, leaning forward to place my face right in his. Nose to nose, lips to lips, eyes to eyes. "Now listen up, you little dickhead. I rule here, not you. I'm sick and tired of you trying to make Edward kill me. Go back to your little corner and pout, or whatever it is you do, I don't care, but give your old man here a break. So go away. Shoo!" And I wiggled my fingers, toodle-oo style, in Edward's antique eyes.

His chest expanded as laughter sprang from his lips. Loud and clear as a gunshot. He laughed and laughed and laughed until he noticed...I wasn't. I sat still, lounging on him, palm to my chin, other hand drumming impatient fingertips on his polished skin, waiting him out.

"Done?"

"Yes." Contrition looked so good on him.

Triumphantly, I slid a little down, kissing and tonguing at his cool skin. Then clamped down, hard on a nipple.

"Ow!"

"Did that really hurt?"

"Yes, it actually did." Edward rubbed at his victimized nipple.

"Good."

The next thing I knew I was turned on my back, my arms pinned at my sides by his elbows and settled body weight. I couldn't move, and with a devilish grin, he had a nipple between his lips, sucking deeply. I yelped because, frankly, it hurt a bit. He let go with a sloppy sodden sound and moved to the other. "Turn about's fair play," he said when he relinquished the other.

_I'm not going down so easy. _I thought to myself. "Let me up, freak. No super powers used here." I hooked a leg around his, and he let me flip him. Because really? Who was I kidding? He let me do whatever I wanted to him. But, I still got off on the power trip of it all.

I wasted no time and positioned myself over his dick and sank like the Titanic.

"Like the tits, huh?" A nod.

I was beyond feeling crass at this point.

"Could she warm you this way?" A chin jerk, no.

I flexed and rolled my hips as he ripped the very air in through his teeth.

"Did you feel the same with her as you do with me?" Again, a nay vote.

I began bunching my muscles, swaying and dropping down in earnest.

"Did you come as hard for her as you do me?" A sharp exhale.

This wasn't about romance, just pure physical need. Magnets drawn together at opposite ends. Edward grabbed onto my hips, pistoning into me, causing ripples and tides of severe pleasure thrumming through my middle. My thighs quivered as exhaustion set in, but I kept up the pace rising above him, hovering and plunging resting my hands behind me on the tops of his thighs. I knew he kept his eyes on my breasts as they jaunted and rode my chest with each push and pull. I was so close, and he knew it. His nose twitched as he drew my scent in; his jaw clenching and unclenching while his abs sprung and unsprung like a box spring mattress. I could have bounced on him like a trampoline all day.

Suddenly, and without warning, he gripped me even tighter, lifted me off him and had me on my back. He had his cock stuffed right back into me in a split second. It did startle me, but I was quickly distracted by the sensation of my muscles squeezing together, trying to strangle his length inside me. My orgasm ripped at me, punching a hole in my chest as I lifted up from the bed, arching until I thought my back would snap in two. This orgasm shook my belief; shored up my belief. Stars unerringly promenaded across my eyelids to blend with networks of red veins mapping out a course to my pumping, squelchy heart. The very organ he owned, stop, link and soul. As soon as Edward finished his own magnificent spire, he pulled out but kept up a thrusting motion; rubbing his semi-erect length across my clitoris, sliding his tightly pouched skin in between my downy lips. Lubing. Glossing. Eroding. Wringing forth a few more precious quakes.

We stopped together, pulling up to the train station of our final destination. We were going to be okay. Edward kissed my forehead and lifted up off me. He cocked his head and told me, "We better get going, I think we've been caught."

I giggled but quickly got dressed. We'd already been caught, photographed and videoed in a compromising position before, which spurred the attention of the _Grim Gollum_. Edward picked me up and sped us back to the raceway, so we could get our bearings once more. When we arrived at our garages, Edward set me down, then suddenly tensed and pushed me behind him.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here." A feminine, heavily Italian accented, voice spoke.

_"__Dolore_,_"_ was all she spoke before Edward hit the ground. _Pain._

_

* * *

_

**Ooh, a smidgen of a cliffie! **

_**Congratulations to RowanMoon for winning best reviewer for the Shimmer Awards and to Winterstale for Sire and her win on the Shimmer Awards!! I love you, BB's!**_

_**http :// www . fanfiction . net /s/5621886/1/ Happy_Birthday_Bella_Round_Robin_Collaboration - Take out the spaces in the link and go read the collab we all did. **_

_**Don't forget to leave some loves!! Happy New Year again!**_


	17. Cracked Radiator

**I know - I know. Long time no see. I have no good excuses other than RL middle finger flicking me constantly in the forehead. I have been busy with three other fics - collabs with other authors/friends for various birthdays. Go check them on my profile - each one is as hot as the next. - The Chop Shop (Em & Rose) & Eight Days a Week (Carlisle & Esme) - And my Twific AutoErotica Challenge entry ~ Three on the Tree. **

**ViolaCornuta and RowanMoon have been kicking my ass to get this done. Vi has been ever so patient(not) with me while I agonized and pulled every word - kicking and screaming - out of my fingertips. I see a clear path now and truly hope to not take this long again.**

**BTW - song choice is Young Blood. It is done by many artists including Bad Company, Leon Russell, The Beatles.**

**Without further adieu ~ **

* * *

From the previous chapter...

_When we arrived at our garages, Edward set me down, then suddenly tensed and pushed me behind him. _

_"Well, well, well. Look who we have here." A feminine, heavily Italian-accented voice. _

_"Dolore," was all she spoke before Edward hit the ground. Pain._

**Chapter 17 **

**Cracked Radiator**

**===Bella===**

Jane.

Falling to one knee, I took a protective stance over Edward. Too furious to be scared, and seething like a cracked radiator, I glared at the ghostly trio standing in a triangle formation in front of us. The female had to be Jane. She fit the bill; small, lank blond hair pulled severely back, red eyes, able to bring forth pain with a thought or word. Not at all like my dreams, instead she was rather lackluster. And here I thought all vampires were supposed to be bizarrely beautiful. My inner goddess fist-bumped my self-confidence into overdrive. Nothing to worry about in the looks department.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Edward's body visibly stopped pulsing and seizing the moment I touched him. The strangest feeling transferred itself from my hand to his shoulder. Heat flared in the center of my palm while a thousand thorns prickled its circumference and tickled the pads of my fingers. My entire arm began to needle somewhat painfully, but not unbearably. All I knew was my overwhelming need to protect Edward.

With eyes wide open, he jack-knifed himself into a standing position and stared from me to Jane and back again rubbing at an apparent ache in his shoulder.

I had no idea who the other two were. They flanked Jane's sides like they were her bodyguards. One male was dark-headed with hair cropped close, huge, tall and thick like Emmett. Only this one's demeanor was no where near Em's jovial self. He didn't appear to relish being here. The other male was tall as well, but where the other was broad of body, this one was wiry. His hair was also dark, but fell to his shoulders. He had the same alkerme-red eyes as the other two vampires. Where the big one was looking detached, this one's feral eyes and face belied something far more acidic, and smacked of grisly glee. Their _Men in Black _suits were obviously custom made to frame their large bodies to a tee.

"Bella," Edward warned.

"Hmm." Jane pursed her down-turned lips tightly. " Very vulgar, Edward. I'm so disappointed in you," she tsked.

Edward shakily tried to push me behind him, but I easily sidestepped him trying to go after the little idjit. Compared to what I was about to do to this bitch, the _Bad Girl's Club_ had nothing on me

Jane haughtily stared at me as if she needed a serious dose of Mylanta. Seeing the tightening look around her eyes as she squinted through knotted slits, I thought of the cartoon movie, _Feivel Goes West_, where Tiger tries to give the _'lazy eye',_ and his eyeballs pop around in his sockets like a paddle ball gone amuck. Of all the inopportune ADHD moments I'd had in my life, this one took the cake.

"Are you constipated or something? What are you trying to do?" I couldn't help myself. This Prepubescent Pain Fairy had just zapped the man I loved. "Are you trying to piss us off on purpose?"

"Bella, stop." Edward tried to calm me, but no way was I going to let her play her Vadery Sith-like mind tricks on us.

"Edward, _vecchio amico!"_ Demetri cried out like they were indeed old friends. "How nice to see you again."

"Wish I could say the same, Demetri. Why are you here?"

_Scary skinny guy - Demetri. Got it._

Jane interrupted. "To help you die for breaking our laws. That is what you wanted, is it not? You have been very public with your American _puttana_. You know the ways of our kind, yet you flaunt yourself in spite of them."

"What did you call me?" I was now completely up to my chin in pissed!

"Jane, I do not answer to you. And, as for flaunting ourselves, we have done nothing of the sort." Edward stood his ground in spite of the odds against him. "There was absolutely no reason for you to attack me without provocation either."

"Watch your tongue, _Canne!_"

Edward laughed out loud, in spite of our really bad situation. "You're calling _me _a dog?"

He had let go of me now, and I nervously glanced around the immediate area. We were completely alone and outnumbered, severely outnumbered if you counted me. As mad as I was, sobering thoughts ran through my head. There was no way I could hurt any of these vampires. And, Jane had a leg up with her maladic mind-push thingy. So, I awkwardly elbowed Edward in the rib.

"Ssh. Ix-nay on the affing-lay," I hissed in his direction. Obviously they all heard me, because two of them split in eerie smiles.

Abruptly, Jane snapped her fingers at Demetri. "I'm not sure why my powers are not working on you, _Isabella_, or why they aren't working on Edward, but enough."

I feigned a yawn and told her, "Maybe you're broken."

Jane smiled an evil, funereality smile. "Demetri."

_"Il mio piacere."_ Demetri lunged at Edward, but Edward was faster.

_Ah, right. He can read their minds._

Edward placed me behind himself once again and snarled. "You will not touch her. She has done nothing in this. She is innocent."

"No matter, you know the law. No human may know of our existence," Demetri growled.

Edward met Demetri half way between the several feet we were apart. All hell broke loose as they began trading blows. Demetri's ham fist smacked high into Edward's solar plexus while Edward right-jabbed him in the left cheek bone. A sound akin to a pestle and mortar grinding together in a hideously vicious way split the air. They grappled like extraordinary barbarians bent on murder, and when Edward slammed the meat of his palm up into Demetri's mouth and under his nose, I wanted to throw up. Demetri righted his obviously broken nose, and they went at it again. I was never so thankful they didn't have actual blood their veins.

The other two vampires didn't move or flinch, just stood there. Still. A fiendish look bedeviled Jane's face. The other stood stoic and steadfast like the guards of the Tower of London. Just put one of those huge bearskin hats on him, and he would have fit right in.

Each man's clothes were beginning to shred from the exertions of their combat. Demetri's collar was hanging to one side, the plastic of the collar band jutting out starkly like a ashen shoulder bone.

Edward's race suit was ripped wide open revealing the pale chest muscles bunching beneath. Every blow, every grasp caused his entire body to tense, his ridged frame swelling like a body builder.

After one particularly nasty crash, they flew apart, to land in a linebacker's stance several feet from each other. They stopped just short of ramming back into one another when a howl sounded in the near distance. The very ground shook while bits of asphalt and chipped cement skittered and jumped from the reverberations of dozens of paws. Distinctive clicks of nails biting at the terrain heralded the arrival of company.

"It seems we aren't going to be outnumbered for long." Smugness overtook Edward's voice.

_"Mi Dio!_ What is that stench?" Demetri asked. All three Volturi held their hands to their noses most indelicately.

Growls erupted from behind us, so I stepped out of the way with a smile. My wolves.

"Uh, oh. Looks like Karmageddon's riding your way," I smiled sweetly.

When I turned to look at the furbore cavalry running at break-neck speeds our way, I reflexively ducked as Jake and Quil leapt over me like a hurdle in the hundred- yard dash. The draft the boys created as they jumped whooshed over me, fanning my hair out and into my face. I pushed my long bangs out of my eyes to see a shaggy, vibrating wall of flesh and teeth. Their hackles were up, their ears pinned back, and heads held low in a very aggressive stance. But their tails swished in delight, wanting to play with the over-stuffed Volturi dolls in front of them.

Jake and Quil wanted to play with them all right, by holding them down under their dinner plate paws, and shredding their Formica skin with their teeth to reveal the soft cottony insides. An image flashed in my mind's eye of red fluffy polyfil scattered around the infield grass. Their grotesque cobwebby innards blowing around in the breeze like tumbleweeds, to catch on blades of grass here and there. Bits of clothing shredded like one-ply paper towels with a shoe here, a hand there.

Embry and Seth circled behind us with Leah rounding up the back carrying a garbage bag loaded with jeans, t-shirts, and tennies. She hadn't shifted. There were plenty of others to do the job.

Seth came up next to me and nudged me with his cold wet nose. Earthing my fingers deep into his indelibly dense fur, it felt soft as angora, and was fragrant as a cedar chest. He lent me his warmth as barely discernible rumbles echoed from his ax-handle wide chest. He eyeballed Edward, licked up my arm, and smacked his lips before letting his tongue loll and flick about, idly panting. The brat was marking Quileute territory without the act of peeing on me, thankfully. I yanked his scruff in response.

In that precise moment, I felt ten feet tall. I wasn't without my defenses, neither was Edward.

All three Volturi were holding their noses while the wolves snorted to get the smell of the vampires out of their muzzles as well. Demetri took a step forward, relinquished the hold on his nose, and made as if to take a swipe at Jake.

Jane and the other guard stepped back a step. Craven expressions crossed both their faces while the big stupid one appeared murderous.

"Felix?" Demetri questioned with a brief turn of his head. "What are you doing?"

"Living to feed another day. What are you doing?" The one called Felix seemed to be the smart, calm one.

Jane and he both continued to move backwards, leaving Demetri to fend for himself.

Felix? Why did his name ring a bell? I must have heard Edward talk about him while he was telling us about his time in Italy. Felix! Recognition dawned bright. He was the one who stopped Jane from hurting Edward anymore when Edward tried to leave Volterra all those years ago. Felix, the one with a soul. Maybe we had an ally in him, but with his shuddersome red eyes, I wasn't too sure.

Demetri must have thought better of the current situation and began to retreat with the others.

Jake and Quil had other ideas. As both wolves stalked their prey, Jane and Felix backed away even farther, leaving Demetri still as the frontrunner. He hissed and spit like a large cat caught in a corner. Sam let out a bellowing howl, moving on to snarling growls. The din he made was deafening.

Jake charged Demetri, falling on top of him à la Dino Flintstone, his paws on Demetri's shoulders, his hind legs digging in Demetri's thighs. The Volt vamp had one hand closed on Jake's throat and the other clutching an ear. Jake snapped his huge jaws, his teeth great pikes of ivory, gnashing and clawing at the disadvantaged creature underneath him.

Demetri managed to get a knee up far enough to leverage and throw Jake away from him. Jake flew through the air, but landed upright and skidded on his paws, furrowing large rows in the asphalt. He let out an ear-splitting snarl and barreled his way back. They crashed together in a whirl of spitting and snapping.

I could see Jane wore her ghastly stare_ a_gain. Concentrating on the pack as hard as she was, she failed to notice Embry sneaking around us. Clearly her powers were not working on the guys either.

While Jake and Demetri battled it out, Quil and Embry made their move. Each pounced. Felix grabbed Quil by the sides of his jaws as those clacking teeth viciously tore at the air trying to get to Felix's face.

Embry aimed for Jane's arm just as she threw it out. He missed, which gave her the opportunity to arm-bar him backwards. He flipped end over end before hitting a dirt embankment up against a cinder block wall. I watched on in appalled fascination as dirt rip-curled all around him entombing his body underground. He shot out only to collapse a few feet then tried valiantly to get back up on all four paws.

I was rooted in horror as the maelstrom unfolded in front of Edward, Leah and me. As macabre as the whole fight was, I couldn't look away. A chunk of asphalt came flying towards us, and Edward shrouded his body around mine, taking the blow of it to his back.

"Bella, I need to get you out of here." Edward shoved me towards Leah. "Can you protect her?"

Leah snorted and shimmied as her own wolf fought to be free. "Probably better than you, Vampire."

"Okay, whatever, just please take her away from here."

"No, Edward. I have to stay," I screamed and tried to loosen Leah's hold, "I'm not leaving them, or you."

Just then his whole body seemed to implode in on itself before he fell to the ground. Jane was walking towards us intent on death. Embry lay very still on the ground several feet away.

"No!Edward - Embry." I couldn't think, couldn't breathe. Facing her head on, I started for her advancing form, Edward almost forgotten. I barely registered the enraged growl coming from behind me. Fierce and proud as any warrior, Seth bumped me out of the way and flew after Jane, knocking her to the ground. She scarcely had a chance to save her face from being ripped off by Seth's claws. He tore into her torso like a fiend. Jane punched up into his underside.

Edward was able to get back up again. Jane's concentration must have been broken by Seth.

Sickly sounds rang out in the night air as stone met soft flesh. Seth howled anew while gnashing his teeth against her face. Just as his huge mandibles clamped down on her head, Demetri, who had pushed Jake off him, sped in to rescue Jane. Demetri drove his shoulder into Seth's side, effectively knocking him off. I heard the scrape of Seth's teeth on Jane's skull. Her head lolled to one side, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

Demetri grabbed Jane up in a fireman's carry and ran with her, calling for Felix. "This is not over, Cullen. We will speak of this again." Demetri warned us.

Felix threw Sam away from him and blurred away with the other two. I ran to Embry, who was picking himself up off the ground and shaking his fur as if expelling all injuries through his skin.

I knew, while in wolf form, they healed very quickly. Embry limped and winced. I also knew he wouldn't show how much he really was hurting. Machismo and all. My heart soared with the knowledge they came to our rescue. And, right now, I was thanking my lucky stars they were here.

Seth's gait stuttered from the pain I'm sure he was in. Jane's blow to his ribs had been staggering. However, he shook the injury off as well.

All the boys took off after the retreating vamps, running them off to God knows where. They really shouldn't have run. Wolves loved a good chase.

Leah was ticked.

"Damn it! All this for nothing? I wanted to see some more smack-down. Never saw a vampire get torn up." Leah turned a bead on Edward and challenged, "You want a go? You handled yourself pretty well against that slinky one. I think I could take you down, though."

"Uh, no thank you," Edward told her with a half-frown, half-quirked eyebrow. He looked at Leah maybe just a little too long in my book. I already knew what he was thinking about.

For those thoughts alone, I smacked him on the shoulder.

"Ow, what was that for?" _Psht_, he had the nerve to look hurt.

"Shut up. It didn't hurt you, and you know it. Stop thinking what I know you're thinking."

"What am I thinking?" He leered at me. Leered at me!

"You're thinking about Leah and me."

A sharp breath was drawn in.

_Uh oh. Shit._

"You told him?" Leah looked really hurt. I needed to do some damage control and quick, but was interrupted by Edward.

"Leah, she told me it was one of the most wonderful experiences of her life. We were very intimate at the time, and it felt natural for her to tell me."

"Yeah, but she just smacked you, and I saw that look on your face."

"How could I not admire you? Look at you. Look at Bella. You both are so utterly gorgeous there was no way I could not think about it."

Leah started to melt. I knew her. Just like an M&M, hard candy shell, yummy chocolate on the inside. However, melting in _my_ mouth and _my _hand was one thing, in Edward's was quite another. _ Back of the line, Three-wayward, not this time around. _

"Well, if you weren't so stinky, maybe I'd be half turned on by you knowing about us. I mean, you are kind of cute. If you're into tall, Wonderbread-white, sparkly popsicles with sharp teeth." She eyed his bared chest and gaping race suit speculatively, appreciatively, and I found myself bristling a bit more. "But I'm not, so keep those eyeballs and creepy Uncle Ernie thoughts to yourself."

**===Edward===**

_I stink? Really? _

Thank God I was too much of a gentleman to say anything to Leah about her lupine assault on my olfactory epithelium. She was absolutely gorgeous in a whole different way than Bella. Leah was incredibly muscular. Not in a over-the-top way, but strictly femininely sculpted, while Bella was all lithe lines, and energetically toned. Bad timing on my part, but I couldn't help the quickening low in my belly as I surveyed both stunning women. The thought of these two show-stopping women with their dark heads buried between each others thighs brought forth an acute ache, exquisite in its swollen torture.

I so deserved the smack Bella just gave me.

As far as looks, despite their different complexions, they could pass for cousins or even sisters for that matter. However, considering what I knew of their past, those thoughts had to go right out the door.

For now, I needed to get Bella out of there and some place safe. Her wolves had proven extremely loyal to Bella; they weren't here for me. I went to Bella and drew her into my arms.

"Bella, you know you are the only one I want. Forever." I tipped her chin up to look at me and placed a light kiss on her lips. They were firmer and warmer than I expected. Her face belied nothing of what transpired this night. I guess I was waiting for shell-shock, screaming, or just nothing at all. Instead, I got a fiery Bella. She was willing to lay down her own fragile life for me. Unnecessarily. In fact, she clung to me, insisting the kiss went a little deeper.

Leah snorted and began to clean up some of the mess left from our fight. We broke our kiss and went to help. Bella held up a piece of Demetri's tie Jake had torn off.

"I think I'll keep this as another memento of tonight." And, she stuffed the tie fragment in the back pocket of her race suit. Maybe she had those sewn on for just such occasions, because mine didn't have any pockets.

I had to shake my head. Bella and her damned penchant for collecting things.

The way I saw it, there really was no where we could go without Demetri knowing where we were going. His tracking skills were the stuff of legends. However, they wouldn't be coming back all too soon with the wolves on their scent. Next problem was where to take Bella. My family was still out on the hunt deep in the Muir Woods National Park many miles away. The Volturi had to be far away by now. We hadn't planned on staying in the Napa area, since we were all going to bus out to our next race down in Vegas.

When we got to my bus, Bella and Leah parted ways by hugging and Bella telling Leah thank you. Leah shrugged, winked at me, and sashayed away in a very _you can look, but you can't touch_ sort of way. Bella came on board with me and was greeted by the sound of my cell phone going off.

_**I couldn't sleep a wink for tryin'  
I saw the rising of the sun**_

Where was my damn cell?

_**Young blood, young blood, young blood**__  
__**I can't get you out of my mind **_

_Cute, Alice._

In a cushion, found it.

"Yes, Alice?"

"I saw the Volturi coming, then nothing. Damn wolf-dar gets in the way. I can see you're on the bus. We can be there in fifteen minutes."

"No need, the hellhounds have been let loose. They're probably chasing them through the grapevines by now."

Bella smacked me again.

I held the phone away from my head, "Bella, stop it. I'm delicate right now. These hundred and something-year-old bones just aren't what they used to be." She narrowed her eyes at me with a small grin painting her face. "And, just so you know, I did have Jane the Pain running rampant through my head a little bit ago. I need a little tenderness."

Giggles sounded from the phone. "Oh, and Edward? Tell Bellatrix LaStrange to get rid of that filthy piece of fabric in her back pocket."

"Bye, Alice. Take your time, please." I hung up as I said the words and threw the phone onto a nearby couch.

"Ooh, poor vampire. Do you need Nurse Bella to make it all better? Any boo boo's?"

Shredding sounds rent the air as Bella grabbed the tattered remains of the front of my suit and ripped them from sun up to sun down.

_Hmm... she's really strong._

"That tie's got to go, sweetling. I can't have you smelling like Demetri." She grabbed it and threw it through the opened bus door then shut it with a final whoosh and snap.

"Now, where were we?"

I pointed to my right pec, "It hurts here." Bella kissed it and cooed over me.

"Anywhere else?"

"And here," I pointed to my belly button. She got to her knees to inspect.

_Oh, yes please! _

I hurriedly shrugged the remains of the suit from my shoulders, letting them drop to my ankles, my briefs still intact. Bella looked up from her perch and arched one lovely eyebrow at me. I flexed my abs just a little bit and pointed to my indented navel again.

"Hurry, it really hurts."

She delved her tongue in and kissed her way in a circle, skirting the edges until placing one smacking kiss right in the center.

"Any where else?"

Lord, love a woman looking up at you from her knees with a smile. She pulled a hair tie from her wrist and pulled her hair into a pony. Curls rioted to be free. Some made it out, some didn't.

"Well, now that you mention it. I've got s'more owies on my knees. I might have skinned them when stupid-head Demetri threw me across the asphalt."

_Whoa, rein it in a bit, Cullen._

"Your knees too? Aw, baby."

_She called me baby! I like that!_

Bella ducked down even further, eye level with my knees and placed a gentle kiss on each knobby cap. I felt my eyes begin to dilate, and knew play time was over. While this thoughtful playfulness from my divine woman was the sweetest candy ever, she needed my full attention. After all, she'd just witnessed a supernatural fight I'm sure she had never seen in real life.

"Bella, sweetheart, we need to move to the back bedroom. We're a bit exposed here in the aisle." I kicked off my racing boots and suit, hauled her up into my arms, and carried her through the partition door and laid her on the bed. As quick as I could, I shut the partition door, ensconcing us in the muted glow filtering in through the hexagon shades.

When I turned, Bella was sitting on the edge of the bed. She shook barely perceptibly, her hands wringing together. And if not for my perfect vision, I wouldn't have noticed.

I needed to get her warmed up quickly so I moved to the shower in the corner and turned the faucet on. We had to wait a minute for it to warm enough to get in. The drastic drag of zippers and tearing of velcro filled my ears - alerting me to her undressing. She took my cue and moved into the stream of water, gloriously naked.

Her body carried the markings of the militant love making we shared earlier this evening. It was hard to believe what we had been through in the last twenty-four hours. We raced, we made up, we broke into a hotel room and had illicit sex. Aro's guards dropped in unnanounced, and a completely unprovoked fight broke out.

Jane really did her worst on me. But, somehow, and I felt for certain now, Bella did seem to have something preternatural about her which helped shield me from Jane's first attack. I felt an unmistakable jolt followed by heat coming from her palm where it touched me on the chest. The spot tingled while I thought about it and absently rubbed at it.

Bella noticed and asked me if it hurt. I smiled and told her no, it actually felt warm there. While I stood outside the shower watching her warm up and rinse the grime and my scent away, a flush rose through my body, venom swelled through my veins, beating at the existence of me. I longed to leave my essence all over her, to make her smell like me again.

Sexual feeling aside, I felt a possessiveness like no other. How dare the Volturi come and start a fight? What right did they have? We were not under their jurisdiction. Our coven was independent and stood on its own merit. I needed to speak to Carlisle soon.

But, for now, Bella was my main objective. I doffed off my boxers, and joined her briefly to rinse off as well, then pulled her out of the shower to towel dry her myself - purely for selfish reasons. Taking my time, I rubbed up against her soft curves. I made sure to go slowly, easing all of the tension from her while making sure to tease her into a burning arousal. I had plans.

Her delicious sultry-pink skin emanated her own private scent straight into my nose, making my shaft plump up and take notice of the miles of derma waiting for my heed. I walked her backwards onto the bed and bade her to sit on the edge and lie down. Taking her feet in my hands, I slipped a toe into my mouth, careful of my teeth, and suctioned lightly.

Bella giggled from the titillating laves of my tongue. I nipped with my teeth, carefully, on her little violet-blue polished toenail.

"Edward, stop, that tickles!" She wrestled her foot from my grasp, pulling her digit from my mouth, nicking it in the process. Faint traces of blood exploded in my mouth. A ruby glaze settle over my field of vision. I held on a little bit tighter, drawing a little of the mineral taste deep into my palate, relishing until the bleeding stopped and all I tasted was the tang of her skin again.

_**I tried to walk but I was lame**_

_No! More, more, more! _The little scourge screamed, no longer banished in its lonely cage of my will-power.

_**What crazy stuff! She looked so tough  
**_

Bella unceremoniously shoved me square in the chest with her other foot. Hard. I let go and allowed myself to be forced backwards. She moved up to the top of the bed by the headboard and rubbed at her foot. Total misery lit her features.

_Eat- dine- sup on her. Don't be a pussy, make her yours forever. _The ferrous sound of the demon rattled through my head, choking on its necrocity.

I cinched my eyes shut. Too much. Too much stimulation. The fighting, the vampiric adrenaline ripping through my body, then blood. Glorious blood, desperate blood, hailing me, calling me to it. I felt each platelet mixing with venom, marrying together in a hedonistic wine.

"Edward, honey, open your eyes and look at me." I opened them to look at Bella now facing me propped up on her knees. "Come back to me. Look at me. You won't hurt me."

_**I took one look and I was fractured**_

"Maybe it's too much. I've been able to keep my urges at bay, but the monster wants free. It wants me to bite you--change you. Murder you and take your soul. I can't allow it."

"Change me? Like you? You can do that?" Bella looked pensive. "What would it mean to us? What would it mean to my life and family?"

_**I tried to talk but I just stuttered**_

"It's not even a consideration. I won't do it. You need that life, that family. I love you as you are."

"But, I won't always stay this way." Bella said it slowly, her eyes downcast, lips scrunched. "I will keep getting older." She looked at me fully now. "You won't."

"I shouldn't have said anything to you. Bella, you enjoy life to its fullest. You race. You run with beings of lore at your beck and call. Your soul runs over with life, vitality so strong it stings my own stained soul, if I even have one. I will not take your life. Ever."

"Never say never, ever. I prefer to think of your soul as a stained glass window. One of a kind; fragmented into beautiful, inky lines filled with rich colors, just like your past." She put her hands on her hips. "Now, are you over your walk on the dark side? I'm ready for some lovin'."

Oh, I was more than ready. Bella alone was able to talk me down and help me chain the vile creature back up. Numerous times.

"Let's try again, shall we?"

_**I had to follow her all the way home**_

Bella laid down on the bed and I moved with her, bridling my arms around her torso. Her rusk nipples pouted at me, most definitely needing my attention.

"Look, they want to be sucked." I took one in my mouth as I slid to my side pushing my shaft against her hip. She held me to her while I sucked her tightened skin into a taut peak. Her heart tripled in treble. The _palp palp_ the sweetest love to my ears.

"Touch me, Bella."

Her capable hand journeyed low until she cased the steel of my erection. Nimble fingers wended their way to my balls, cupping, kneading, massaging them until the muscles in my thighs began to jump and tic in anticipation.

"I'm going to make this feel so good, baby. Open your legs for me."

Opening her beautiful knees to me, I wasted no time in opening her soft lips to my questing fingers, dipping and circling her port. My finger bathed in wet juices while I teased and flexed one index digit in and out in rapid succession, never even going all the way to the knuckle.

"Edward, quit teasing." Then she reached down to my hand to try to force me to push my forefinger in deeper.

"Ssh. Slow down. By the time I make you come, you won't even know your own name."

"Oh, God, I could come right now if you keep talking to me like that."

"Like what, Isabella?"

"Telling me..." she panted hard as I pushed deep adding the next finger, "mmm, don't stop."

"Stop what, Isa?" I ground my penis into her hip some more, then promptly shifted to lie between the sheets and her heaven.

"Using your fingers in - on - around me."

"These fingers?" I pulled them back and rapidly rubbed at the mini pearl puffy to my touch. "In a bit I'm going to replace them with something you're really going to like."

I knew I was teasing her mercilessly, but I wanted her good and hot for me. She needed to forget about what happened earlier. Bella accepted the pointer finger of my free hand as I pushed it into her hot little mouth. She used her sharp eye teeth to bite down on the knuckle then gave it a tongue bath molten enough to make my cock jealous.

Her sex opened to my gaze. Pretty as a spring flower and issuing serum as heady as any feast. A single drop wept, and I reached out with my tongue to catch it. It rolled back on my tongue making me frenzied for more. The demon approved and half purred, half cheered as it waited for more. I dove in with all abandonment. Her pelvic lips rose to meet my hungry mouth.

I placed open-mouthed kisses on her entrance, licked and sucked, nibbled and drenched, all while she still rode my fingers with cries mewling from her muted mouth. Bella's behind lifted from the bed as she came all over my face. I pushed in using my tongue to drive deeper, my eyes level with her clitoris. Her hood blossomed back to reveal the nerve button as it throbbed and bucked under my perusal. All evidence of her lust given away by her flesh visibly throbbing in time with her internal clutching.

She hung suspended for a moment before crashing to the bed in a emulsified heap. I moved from my perfect nook to up by her head and tapped her on her puff lips with the mushroom head of my dick.

"Taste me, Bella."

Her tongue darted out to curl up around the side, testing me. Bella curled up on her side so she had a better angle to take me into the hot abyss of her mouth. I sat back on my haunches and watched myself slide in and out, vein by vein, ridge by ridge.

"Cup me. I need to feel you on me."

She palmed me, warm hands tugging on my balls and rolling them around with her nimble fingers. My abdomen locked down hard while her other fingers tangled in the feathered hair splaying down to meet her nose. She completely engulfed my cock. Maybe it was the angle she was at, but I watched the skin of my dick become wetter and distended beyond all belief. My venom brewed up, my sachet pulled tight, hips were already pistoning into her hollowed cheeks. Putting my hand on her chin, I pushed my thumb in breaking the suction, massaged her neck, and pulled from her swollen lips.

Gripping my penis, I pumped twice before releasing all over her incredible breasts. Long bursts of venom rivered from the slit to splash on her skin and find every avenue over the sides of her torso. She kissed the knuckles of the hand I fisted around myself and petted over my groin muscles, tickling the sensitive skin beneath my sac. Even the beast was silent while we plummeted down from our sexual orbit. I remained stiff and aching to be inside my love, if anything, turned up even a notch more.

Bella looked up at me expectantly, her sloe oaken eyes full of lust.

"What are you thinking?" she asked me.

"I'm thinking I am the luckiest being on this earth. What are you thinking, Bella?"

"I'm not thinking, you licked every thought right out of my head."

_**And all night my heart was cryin':**_

_**You're the one, you're the one**_

"You still know your name; I think I have to make you come harder."  
_**  
Young blood, young blood, young blood**__  
__**I can't get you out of my mind**_

I jumped up and grabbed the damp towel discarded on the floor. Bella needed to be cleaned off for our next feat.

"And, for my next trick..."  
_  
__**What's your name? What's your name?**__  
__**What's your name? What's your name?**_

_**

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**Next race - Vegas. How much trouble do you suppose these kids can get in there? - I can tell you how much trouble I can get in there. - A buttload! There are pictures to prove it!**

**ViolaCornuta - Thank you so much for your invaluable help. I've had dreams of your emails. You are the ink-stains on my tongue!**

**RowanMoon - Thank you for your pre-reading and rearrangements. You helped me so much in the ego inflation dept.**

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**Psst...The Indies noms are in. Go vote on March 15th!! So many of my favorites and friends are up for awards!!**

**Goldenmeadow - Winterstale - LazyKate - Katinki - 22Blue - to name a few!!**

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**So - What hotels did you like the best if you've ever been to Vegas? - Leave me a review or PM me to let me know if you have any crazy stories!!**


	18. Pole Position

Stephenie Meyer is a jungle and I am swinging from her vines.

**Thank you Viola Cornuta. Really, this woman rocks it out like a Van Halen! **

**It's been a long time since poor RaceWards had some action, so be kind to him. He's been patient while I've been canoodling with other fabulous authors on other endeavors. **

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**In 1912, the world famous Austrian gynecologist, Dr. Hermann Otto Kloepneckler, M.D. Ph.D. published the following:**

**_"The best engine in the world is a vagina. It can be started with one finger. It is self-lubricating. It takes on any size piston. And, it changes its own oil every four weeks. It is only a pity that the management system is so fucking temperamental."_**

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**===Edward===**

Jake and the boys came back after losing the Volturi somewhere around Medford, Oregon. They needed to be back in time for the eleven hour bus ride down to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. By the time they came back to Sonoma, Bella had power napped in the back of my bus and was a bit feisty right now. I wasn't complaining, it was funny as hell watching her rage between wanting a piece of Jane, literally, since there was a piece of Jane somewhere back at the fight scene I had to stop her from kiping, and being worried for her wolves. Demetri's tie had been bad enough.

Each racing team retired to their respective buses and settled in for the long trip. There was some strange '_I'm watching you',_ two-fingered_ V,_ action to the eyes between Emmett and Jake. Animosity them hung in the air between them like a wet sweater, while each had a virtual pissing contest in their heads.

Nothing good was going to come of this.

Bella insisted I go with her for a change since she was _always_ with my crew. She thought maybe we could bond over - I don't even know what. I couldn't argue with her so decided to give in - reluctantly.

Emmett blew me a kiss, wiggled his fingers at me before flying the middle one, and thought, _miss you. _The man can stage whisper in his head like no other.

Jasper put his right fist over his heart, Roman style, and slightly bowed to me like I was going off to my death in battle. He tried, unsuccessfully, to hide his smile.

The Cullen girls all hugged Bella and sighed moonfully at me. _Women... _

_God, why did my family have to screw with me? Oh, that's right, we're off His radar. _

The bus door closed behind me in a soft whoosh and clicked firmly into place like a death knell. I swallowed thickly. The rush of venom could have been caused by the bottled, '_Eau de Hair Shirt',_ stink wrecking my senses, as I refused to believe it was fear. I am Vampire; strong, deadly.

Inside, Bella's guys were ticked from the losing the trail on the Volturi. The growled and paced around in the bus like the caged animals they actually were. More than a few of them vibrated with lethal grace along the edge of their bodies while each sized me up. I had now seen what the _Loup Group_ could do and was more than little impressed. Being presented with so many werewolves advancing toward me in one tiny blender was a bit daunting.

Sam seemed to be the only one more reserved as I began to back up a bit, wrapping Bella protectively into me in the process. What if they changed on this rolling tin can? A few snarls fired in my general direction, then laughter erupted from Quil, which spread to the rest.

"Knock it off, guys." Bella warned them.

"Dude, we're just fucking with ya," Quil laughed and slapped me on the back. "We wouldn't really mess you up, unless you wanted us to, or you know, gave us reason to." He looked hopeful.

Sam came up to me and put his hand out for me to shake. "Righteous fighting earlier, man." His thoughts were respectful.

"I had to protect Bella," I stated, taking Sam's overly warm, outstretched hand. Our hands clasped in a manly show of legendary super-strength, each taking measure of the mythological man. We shared a common goal: keep Swan safe. She was more than precious to us all, and they had my utmost respect. "I appreciate what you did back there. The odds were not in our favor until you showed up."

"We know." Sam nodded, then dropped my hand. "Jesus. You are cold."

"I would say you're hot, but I'm pretty sure it would get my ass pounded into the ground." More guffaws, then I realized my mistake, and it was too late to take the words back.

"I'd go in for a feel if it didn't seem so gay," Seth over-shared. "Oh, sorry, Leah." But, he wasn't. Not really. He was snickering on the inside.

All laughed again except for Leah. She simply smiled a knowing smile. A devious glint lit her walnut eyes then she blew me a kiss and winked at me behind Bella's back. I winked back knowing it was all a show for the boys.

"Stop flirting with my boyfriend, bitch," Bella growled.

My eyebrows shot to the sky, and I felt the skin around my eyes stretch past their elastic capabilities. However, Leah only snorted out loud and sat on the leather couch with a whoosh. She made kissy sounds at Bella, gave herself a mental finger-sizzle, and thought to herself, _Ooh, burn! _

"Pick your lips up off your chest, Vampire."

_Whaa...t? _Bella was staring at me intently with a possessive smirk on her face.

Apparently I was in a strange place in my life: One - I was in very, very, very close proximity with the werewolf mafia and right now, I was the dead _Mick _who'd stolen the Don's princess' affections; Two - I was caught flirting with one of the '_Made' _women; and, Three - I was about to pop a zipper hearing my girlfriend call me Vampire.

I hied my ass along with said princess' delectable tush to the back of the bus. Double-time.

Truly, I had never been more happy to not have to breathe in all my days. This much concentrated stench, held in by so much metal and fiberglass,could not be good for me. But, I grinned and bore it for my race girl. Thankfully once we were in the back bedroom with the wafer thin - _I do mean almost non-existent - _door, the smell blessedly lessened its assault on my ridiculously over-active olfactory tract.

Suddenly loud groans and _holy shit, that's just wrong!_, followed by more than a few _Jesus Christ, Leahs! _

Then the distinct thought pattern of Jake - _You can't phase on the bus, you're too big - No, Seth!... I wonder if I can fit this bus through a drive-through, I'm hungry again... I really need to call Ness. _

Random.

The bus started swaying, and Sam yelled, "Cut that shit out!"

Leah morphed right in the middle of the bus and was playfully swiping at the boys. Seth phased too, and began to wrestle with her, knocking into couches, tables. The guys who were rooting for Seth since, apparently, Leah always wins.

Her thoughts crept into my head, her picturing herself with Bella and me. _Oh my God! _The dirty things she wanted to do to me involving some sort of leather harness were downright disturbing.

_Uh-uh, not going to happen._ I never had any intentions of being necro-violated in any way, shape, or form. The demon shifted its lazy head, shaking it, _Not only no, but Hell Nooo_...

Seth began to whine as her thoughts steeped into his. Bella told me about what she called their '_mind meldy thingy'. _I found their collective psychic abilities very interesting since I was solitary in my medium. Interesting, but disconcerting all at the same time. Knowing how it was to have so many voices in my head, I couldn't imagine another person _in_ my head. Only Aro carried that ability as long as he touched other beings. Chelsea could control the free-will climate, but not get in your thoughts.

Thankfully, music blazed out from the speakers, effectively drowning out the goings on. Bella smiled and told me it was okay, she would protect me from the big bad wolves.

_**All our times have come  
Here but now they're gone**_

_Not funny, doggies, "Don't Fear the Reaper"?_

_**Come on baby...don't fear the reaper**_

_**Baby take my hand...don't fear the reaper  
We'll be able to fly...don't fear the reaper  
Baby I'm your man...  
**__  
What? Was I showing fear?_ A quick check in the shiny ceiling told me no. _Mask of cool indifference in place - maybe a little bit of eagerness to get Bella in the back, but cowardice - fuck no!_

We continued down the narrow aisle to the back, and I noted the dimensions were the same as ours; leather couches up front, a small kitchen galley, even smaller bathroom - human amenities my family didn't need to use, three floor-to-ceiling bunks flanking each side of the aisle. Every bunk had a drop-down flat screen at the foot of the bed with earphones and plush bedding. Come to think of it, there were flat screens everywhere on this forty-five foot bus. Emmett and Jazz would be jealous.

The rear bedroom was all black, relieved by some brushed nickel paneling here and there. Obsidian surfaces refracted in the simulated star lights from the ceiling wreaking havoc on my heightened eyesight. Space was cramped since we obviously couldn't push the slide-out out while going down the road at seventy-five miles an hour. But, it was adequate enough for Bella and me.

Even though I knew Bella had snoozed a while earlier, I peeled back the covers of the double bed while she changed into some soft purple pajama bottoms and a white t-shirt which read, '_No outfit is complete without a few dog hairs'. _

"What is it with you and your t-shirts?"

Bella bristled a bit. "They're presents. Why? Don't you like them?" She took a breath and pulled at the hem with both hands causing the material to tighten and stretch across her very bra-less, very scrumptious breasts.

I know my mouth dropped open while the symbio-demon did its signature air-hump thingy in my head. Again. The sounds rattling from its slithery mouth were Quagmire-ish --_ Oh, yeah!_

Resistance was futile, I had to touch them. My palms smoothed over the stretched fabric, reaching just under to cup the twins' fullness. Her nipples perked instantly from the cold of my hands.

"What's that you say?" With my face looking up, I put my right ear to her right nipple. "You want to be licked?"

Bella chuckled, but her heart sped up a notch. She held me tight to her chest and turned her face into mine. Her feather lips suckled against mine while a prurient river of need flowed through the both of us.

_God, she is so warm. So soft._ Her mortality pulsed just beneath her thin epidermis. If I pushed, with just enough pressure, on the skin of her wrist - where I longed to bite down - I could hear and feel, the sloe leak of blood, platelet by platelet, through her blue-green micro-veins.

I backed her against the custom platform bed, and laid Bella on the onyx microfiber coverlet, settled between her outstretched thighs, and continued our kiss. The fabric of her pajama bottoms did nothing to hide the lush softness under them. Bella began to undulate her hips, pushing our pelvises together. I traipsed my tongue through her lips to feel hers against mine. Bare skin begged to be caressed, and I wasted no time in running my fingers in a ticklish way across the velvet expanse.

At her sharp intake of breath, and the goosebumps scattering across her skin, I knew I'd hit an especially sensitive spot. I broke our kiss and made good on my earlier intentions to get to licking. Her white t-shirt did nothing to hide her berry toppings, and I drew the flat of my tongue from top to bottom, over the fabric, making them jiggle with the force I exerted on them.

Bella wriggled her body a little to the side, then reached down to rub at my hip, indicating she wanted me to give her access down to my hardness. She created an electrifying rhythm against the my dick; heat flared as her palm slid in between my legs, her fingers fanning out against the reactive skin, tickling me in a fashion.

"Are you up for more, Bella?" I asked, not entirely sure how acute the wolves hearing were. "You know, the wolf is at the door?" I chuckled at my own pun.

"You have two choices. One, I'll let you finish what I've started in your hand. Or, two, I'll let you finish what I've started in me. I don't think my crew will enjoy it either way. Except maybe Leah, and 'boo sucks' to her. What say you?"

In her it is!

My clothes were off in a flash, and I was back on the bed, straddling Bella's chest, in no time flat, my cock bobbing on an invisible paddle string before her twitchy little nose. "How about we play around, then I'll tell you how I got into racing?"

"Stop moving so fast, it gets me carsick." Bella whined.

_Whined?_ Then she smiled at me.

"I've got a Dramamine lollipop for you." _God, did I just say that?_

"Dramamine makes me tired," she vollied.

"Something salty perhaps? I hear salt helps as well."

Bella closed one eye and squinted at me with the other, "Well, if you insist."

We both knew there was no salt content in my emission, but it served my purpose to near bursting.

I couldn't help a smirk when the guys began playing some deep bass rap outside.

Both hands of their own accord, reached to each side of her cheeks and I guided her lips to the tip of my cock. A fire started low in my belly almost immediately. Bella kept her eyes on mine while her lips swelled in time with my bright plump head dipping and jagging in and out, out and in, in and out. I didn't dare push all the way in due to the awkward angle we were in. I watched as Bella's cheeks turned a bright blushing rose, and her eyes glittered.

I let go of her head and placed one hand on the side of the pillow under Bella's head, and lifted up to accommodate my length, getting a little bit more action. My other hand pointed my cock into her luscious mouth. Now that I was elevated, she was able to reach and shimmy out of her drawers.

Her arousal sang to me, a hymn of elation, a lyrical verse all my own. Sweet perfume hung in the air, every oxygen particle a vessel carrying the taste of her to my lips. I found myself smacking my lips in anticipation, venom actually slipped past the corner of my mouth, which I sucked up in complete embarrassment. I'd just drooled, and she'd seen it.

Bella smiled around my dick before pulling away. "Nice. All for me?"

Recovering quickly, "Yep, and for my next trick..."

I moved to the side and removed her shirt then settled back over her. Now her body was laid bare. Her nipples were proud little nubs, begging for more attention. I plucked at them between my fingers, then molded my hands to the side of her breasts to push them together, and slid my cock in between them. Bella was surprised at first, but warmed immediately, and wrapped her arms up and around the back side of my thighs. Her fingers dug in to my quadriceps, loosening and kneading like a ferocious kitten. This was new ground for us. She understood what I wanted to do, and lifted her head to catch the head as it emerged from the downy line between her breasts. Her saliva smoothed the way, lubing, and slipping between the fold.

My cool skin tightened, broiled and threatened to burst, but I wanted a few more moments with Bella to give her release as well. And, there was no way I was going to last watching one of the most erotic sights I'd ever seen. The feel of her breasts around my cock was nothing like her fisted hand, nor mine. Marshmallowy, ripe, cushiony, carnal as hell. Then, to watch the head play hide and seek into her lips, no words.

Bella rested her head back again as it was still an odd angle for her to be. I reluctantly let go of her mounds and slid down her body to kiss and lave my way to her, no my, treasure. Her peachy plush skin swelled to my touch; wept with need. I planted an open mouth kiss on her sweetly perfumed perfection, taking the whole of it into my mouth. My tongue slid right into her slit, separating her nether lips. Her body seized as I zeroed in on her entrance and pushed past to spear her furiously over and over again while I lasciviously rutted my hardness into the blankets.

I was struck dumb when Bella immediately orgasmed. She was truly a sight to behold; her feet planted wide, her hips lifted up to grind her pussy harder into my mouth, one hand threatening to rip me bald with her energetic grip on my scalp, the other arm pushing her up off the mattress.

Her somewhat muted cries were drowned by the bass-thumping music still playing outside the partitions. Thankfully, because mine were next.

There was barely time to sit up and catch myself in my hands before I spilled all over the covers, and groaned aloud. The demon laughed with glee at me while I jerked and strummed to completion on Bella's thighs. It happily cackled while watching the serous fluid almost hit the bedding during my _two-minute Timmy_ act unfold. The little sicko speculated - _Those dogs'd probably come in here later and rub all over it like they do with dead things in a pasture. _  
_  
_After rolling to my side, I got off the bed and got a towel from the bathroom to clean up Bella. We laid next to one another for a bit before Bella began to wink at me like a night owl and tried not to yawn. She asked me to tell her about what got me started in the racing, besides the obvious need for speed.

"It's going to put you to sleep." I warned.

"No it's not," she mustered.

"All right." Doubtful.

"Actually it was my Father who planted the speed seeds when I was ten. We drove our '09 Cadillac 30 to..."

"What?" Bella squinted up, "what year?"

"1909 Cadillac model 30. And, yes, I believe we've covered how old I am already."

Bella snickered and smiled sleepily. Her lips twitched like she wanted to say something, but I wasn't in the mood to hear old people jokes from my girlfriend.

Through gritted teeth, I went on. "It was 1911."

_Jesus, I am old! _

The monster snorted_ - Maybe YOU are!_

"My father, Edward Masen, Sr., took me to the first Indianapolis 500 mile race. It was highly advertised, and the first ever recorded race. My mother was not as excited to go since it was at the end of May and really hot and muggy outside, but we didn't care; we were co-conspirators against girls." I winked at Bella, knowing how much _'girl power' _she really possessed. "She wanted to go by train, but my father insisted we drive the distance. He had a stubborn streak in him a mile wide when it came to the Caddy."

Bella's breathing evened out, and her heartbeat slowed down to her sleep pattern. She even snored slightly. Not that I would ever tell her.

I closed my eyes and continued down my journey while she slept peacefully on the pillow next to me. She'd told me she loved me, but I was too hard for her to sleep on.

Emmett would never have let a statement like that go...

_"Elizabeth, I'm not going to spend all this money on a fine piece of iron like this Cadillac and not drive it on trips. It's just wasteful."_

_"Edward, don't you take that kind of tone with me. I'm just being practical. It's a long uncomfortable trip. We have to put on our driving costumes, it's stifling in this weather."_

In the end, my father won out, but Mother decided to stay home. She fretted over me, but knew I would be taken care of. Secretly, I was happy. This was a man's trip. Racing, after all, was a man's sport. In fact, it wouldn't be until 1976 when a woman was allowed to race in the Indy 500.

Girls were only good for picking stupid flowers and beaning with my sling shot. Not my mother, of course. I'd tried to get her once, but she caught me, and I couldn't sit straight for two whole days. I hadn't always been the sweet little boy my mother loved to tell her friends about.

In my bravado, I resembled my mother, who could drive a car as well as any man. She had not an ounce of fear and didn't mind the oil and the grit flying up towards her from the engine and road. I knew sometimes the ladies in her social group would whisper about it being scandalous. They didn't know what they were talking about. My mother didn't have one indecent bone in her body. Besides, we had enough money and position to assure they weren't going to snub Elizabeth Masen.

The night before the trip, I had been scrubbed clean to within an inch of my life. My ears burned a brilliant red with the cleaning she'd given them, and my hair squeaked when she forced the brush through it. She didn't brush for long, because she'd given up ever really trying to tame the cowlicks. What did I care since I usually had a cap on anyway.

Later once I was tucked into bed, I heard my father telling my mother he needed a good scrubbing as well. They splashed around an awful lot, which wasn't fair since that kind of behavior always got me into trouble. I made a note to complain to Father about it in the morning. Next thing I knew, ear-splitting engines being revved, and plumes of bilky smoke laying thick in the air, inhabited my dreams for the remainder of the night.

The next morning, bath time forgotten, we loaded up the back seat with a huge picnic basket full of food and our bags. We were men, you know, and needed lots of food to keep up our strength for the perilous trip we were about to embark on. Our first father-son adventure. One where I'm sure we'd meet misadventures along the way. We could pass gas, and belch, and scratch ourselves, wherever, and no one would be there to tell us to sit up straight or wash behind our ears for a whole three days.

Once we had on our dusters, caps, and goggles, we set out on our 'he-man', one hundred eighty-three mile trip. It would take us all day to get there and all day to get back, leaving us the one day for the race.

When we arrived in Indiana along with thousands of other racing immigrants, Father found us a small room at a boarding house fit to burst with all the people in Indianapolis for the same purposes.

Race day dawned overcast, but burned off quickly as the sun climbed higher in the sky. The day was bound to be a scorcher, but we didn't care. The only problem was we had to wear our 'going to town' clothes. Father was dressed in his smart, black suit-jacket and trousers along with a gray jacket vest and tie. I had to wear my brown suit-jacket and knee trousers. We had matching white round-collared shirts and wore straw-boaters hats. I whined and complained because I just wanted to wear my old comfortable knee pants and soft shirt, but Father wouldn't have any of it. We couldn't look like dock workers now, could we?

When the race was ready to begin, all forty cars were lined up in rows of five, with exception of the first place qualifier. He had the pole position, which meant he was first in line situated on the 'inside' of the dirt track by the starting-line pole.

With engines grumbling, and exhausts pluming soiled gray clouds of smoke, the cars all lurched forward on their solid rubber tires. Each driver, one alone, all the restwith a ride-along mechanic, began the first ever 'rolling' start with a pace car in the lead. Once the pace car was out of the way, the race began in earnest.

For seven hours we watched the drivers battle it out for the win. The long cylinder cars got to about ninety miles per hour, and were the fastest thing; the most thrilling thing, I'd ever seen in my young life.

Father bought me a ten-cent program, and we gorged ourselves on treats through out the day with my father telling me to live it up, and never tell my mother. No worries there. My co-conspirator lips were sealed.

Amongst the crush of the linen- and tweed-clad bodies, I sat atop my father's shoulders when the number thirty-two '_Marmon Wasp',_ driven by Ray Harroun, passed the finish line first. There had been a huge wreck where one of the cars went careening towards the racing timers. The timers fled, too scared to come back, which caused a problem between the winner and another driver, but I didn't care. Ray Harroun was now my new hero. Lock, stock, and double barrel rolled engine.

Once home again, the first thing I did was hug my mother's waist. The second was unseal my co-conspirator lips and flap about everything we did while there, including the treats I ate until I got sick. There was no bath-time splashing that night.

These were some of my few, and very, very precious, human memories.

Much later as a vampire, Carlisle, Esme, and I went to the 1923 Le Mans Twenty-Four Hour Endurance race in France, shortly before my rebellion and trip to Volterra.

I was distracted from my day-dreaming by the sound of the tour bus engine winding up to a near scream. We picked up considerable speed and began to sway back and forth. My immediate response was protect Bella, as we were about to be in one hell of a wreck.

Turns out, Emmett was trying to pass our bus, and Jake wasn't having it. I quickly covered Bella up, got dressed and walked up the aisle toward the front of the bus. The curtain opened on the top bunk to the left of me effectively scaring the un-deadness out of me.

"Leah," I acknowledged.

"Spunky," she acknowledged back with a knowing smile and an arched brow. The curtain slammed back into place.

At the front of the bus, Jake was highly agitated and driving erratically. The guys were all hanging out the left side of the bus, hooting and hollering. They egged Jake on and yelled obscenities at my bus trying to gain on the left-hand side.

Rosalie, Jasper and Alice were hanging out the right side of our bus doing the same thing back. Jazz had a huge shit-eating grin on this face, and Rosalie had both hands turned up in the one-finger salute. Alice, well, she just laughed and pounded on the side of the bus for Em to drive faster.

Jake swerved toward Emmett to stop him from blowing past us, and pretty near pushed my family off the I-395. They would have totally survived a wreck, but it wouldn't look good when the bus smashed to pieces, and the four survivors were completely untouched. Emmett was forced to back off a bit. Jake saw his opportunity and mashed on the gas pedal coaxing more speed out of the already shuddering tin bullet.

"That's right, motherfucker! Not today!" Jake yelled out his window. "Not tooodaaay!"

I sighed, but chuckled and shook my head, because I could see Emmett's pissed-off face right now.

And, for the second time in twenty-four hours, I repeated - _nothing good was going to come of this_.

* * *

**Now, for some fun stuff. **

**TwifanUK asked RosaBella75/IslandWoman221 and me to co-host the Giggle/Snort Awards. Please go nominate your favorite Saturday morning funnies to us! There are several categories to choose from. The link is on my profile and here - gigglesnortawards (dot) mmmboptastic (dot) com**

**Nommies are open until May 12th, then the voting will open shortly thereafter. **

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**Thank you for reading. We're all ready for Las Vegas. Carlisle and Esme will be showing up to join our team again. We'll maybe get a little Esme POV. **


	19. Sin and Spin

Hello? Is there anyone out there? Nope? I wasn't sure. Sooo, it's been almost four months since I updated. While I hope there will be no rock throwing, I wouldn't be surprised.

You all know I don't intend any copyright infringement on Meyer's work, right?

A million thank you's to my good friend and beta - Viola Cornuta, as well as my pre-reader - RowanMoon. I love you guys!

* * *

Song Choice - Elvis Presley - _Viva Las Vegas_, of course!

* * *

**Sin and Spin**

**===Edward===**

Her crew was blessedly quiet for once, but I knew it wouldn't last. Bella lay snug against my body while the hog of a diesel engine tolled away the miles. Thankfully our buses had fared well against the ridiculous drag race Jake and Emmett put us all through. Now we were very close to Las Vegas and had much to hash out.

Puzzled by Bella's ability to stop Jane, and leery of what was to come, I scrubbed at my face with the hand not wrapped possessively around my sleeping speed-queen. Heavy footsteps approached down the aisle and stopped at the partition.

"Come in," I commanded low so as not to disturb Bella. _Disturb - As if this situation weren't disturbing enough._

The partition door revealed a particularly agitated looking werewolf. "We need to talk," Jake said in a near growl.

"I couldn't agree more." I got up and out of bed with a heavy sigh, and repositioned Bella carefully. She mumbled something about teeth, I cringed, and she giggled. I chuckled, she snuggled down into the blankets some more, probably happy to have her body heat to herself since I liked to steal it.

"Jesus, leech! Clothes, man. Put some on."

"What," I shrugged my shoulders, "I thought you wolves were okay with nudity."

"Dude, I'm barely okay with sharing Innerspace-size proportions with a vamp. I don't need to see your Popsicle stand."

"Popsicle stand?" I knew what he was referring to. I could see it in his mind, but...

"You know," he jerked his head in a downward motion without actually looking, "your junk. Bells says it's cold."

_Bella discussed my junk? Huh._

Jake's eyes were everywhere but on me. The ceiling seemed to be the best place to look or maybe the rubber piping where the corners of the walls met. I knew it was childish, but I couldn't help pushing Fido's buttons.

"Well," I put my hands out to my sides, "outside, Tom. Unless you want another peep. Or, unless you want to find out what flavor my freezer pop is?"

"Fuck you, dude." He promptly exited stage left. I swear there was a perfect smoke image of him still standing there like Wile E. Coyote.

I took my time getting my clothes on. This had to be how Emmett felt when we caught him sans pants. Usually it got us stuck in a stranglehold, Greco-Roman style, with Em calling us _fag, _or him humping on us telling us,_ 'aww c'mon. You know you want it.' _I, however, was going nowhere near Jake with my dick. I was quite fond of it, especially since it was getting regular use.

"Lime sherbet," Bella mumbled then promptly fell back to sleep.

_Oh, really? _

I met Jake in the galley of the bus. If I thought the dogs smelled bad when I first got on this rolling biscuit tin, walking past the sleeping quarters in the hall was sheer hell. Fetid funk curled into my nose causing my eyes and nose to burn painfully. _Please let sleeping dogs lie... _I hoped.

Sam was driving now, so Jake was sitting on a couch drinking some coffee. It brought back the memory of me trying to grind the bitter beans when Bella and I were camping in Brooklyn, and I ended up with the grounds in my hair.

Jake indicated for me to sit across the way from him.

"You know, for an seemingly uptight vampire, I've gotta give it to you, you're handling this all pretty well."

"Thank you, I think."

"Now with the niceties out of the way. What the fuck is going on?"

With a long sigh, I canted my story. "We have stringent laws about drawing attention to our race by the Volturi Coven in Italy. They have been the enforcers and creators of these laws longer than anyone really knows. Several decades ago, I lost my shit, and cut a bloody path to the east coast." Jake's eyes narrowed on me, and I hastily added, "Criminals only. I wasn't after innocent blood." His face and body relaxed, barely. "I boarded a ship and went to Europe looking for an end to my miserable life from the Volturi. I had enough sin on my conscience for several lifetimes. Once there, I was denied death based on my abilities."

I knew what I was about to tell Jake was going to piss him off.

"I was held in Volterra by a Guard with the power to mind-fuck you into submission, and was too weak, mentally and physically, to fight against any one of them. Jane, then as now, was a high ranking member of the Volturi inner sanctum. She was the one chosen to win me over to their way of life, and she took her job seriously. Really seriously. The vampiress came to me the first night I was there and played whore for her masters. It worked. People were brought to me the next day, and that was my first taste of innocent blood. Humans checked in, but they never checked out. Do you know what it's like being strung out, or having such a deep craving for something, you'd do whatever it took to get your next fix?"

Jake snorted. "Clearly, you have no idea what it is like to be imprinted. Vanessa and I have a spiritual link that can't be broken. By anything. I crave her above anything and anyone."

If it were like my desire for Bella's blood, body, mind and soul, I did know.

Nodding my head, I went on with the story. "After a few years the Guard who held me enthralled loosed her psychic claws from me when she left on assignment to help rout out rogue vampires. They had drawn too much attention by killing senselessly, draining bodies and not cleaning up after themselves. I asked to leave and go back with Carlisle. Aro let me go, surprisingly, with no restrictions. I've since wondered if there was an ulterior motive." I lost myself in thought for a moment. "Anyway, Jane was pissed and unleashed her full power on me until Felix, my one ally, got her to stop. I left on really bad terms with her, and she hasn't gotten over the whole bitch-once-scorned thing. She's on the warpath now that she's seen me public with Bella. Jane will try to get to me through Bella."

"Well, that's not going to happen."

"Damn right," I agreed.

"I saw you wracked out pretty bad back in Sonoma by some kind of voodoo shit I've never seen before. Your body went all kinds of contortionist. I also saw when Bella touched you, you stopped spazzing. What the hell is that?"

"I need to talk to my family about what happened. For right now, I think she has some sort of latent deflection ability. It's not abnormal for many people to have certain sensitivities regarding the paranormal."

"Yeah, the whole _'we're not alone' _theory. It's stupid to think we're the only _extra-normal_ beings on this earth. I mean, someone at sometime must have placed this fucked up curse on us all for us to be the way we are."

"You and Carlisle really should get together and bang out your ideas on creature evolution. You'd be locked together for days." Frankly, I was amazed at the wolf's logic.

Jake narrowed his eyes at me. "You know, that is only true about actual dogs right? Our dicks don't work that way."

Well now, I hadn't given ever given _any _thought at all to their sex life. Ever. Wasn't my business. Ever.

"Gross, man."

"All right, all right," he put his hands up and chuckled, then crossed his arms tucking his fists up underneath, "so what do we do now?"

"We race in Vegas and wait for their next move. To just go after the Volturi Guard is suicide. Trust me when I say we don't want to bring them all after us. There are more powers afoot among them than in a Harry Potter movie."

"What do you mean?"

"That's a loaded question. Aro, Marcus and Caius are the Ringling Brothers who run the Volturi. Aro is the ringmaster, and the others are the circus managers. They round up all matter of beings with _talents_ and keep them around as living armor. They have more assassins than the Taliban."

"And why are_ you_ so important?"

"I left. Carlisle and I are the only ones to leave in their history books."

"Wow, what luck. We get stuck with you." Jake stood and poured out the remains of his coffee in the small galley sink.

"Look, I never meant for this to happen. I wish, everyday, I had the balls to walk away and stay away. But I love her. I can't. I tried."

"I know, Bella was pretty pissed at you." He smiled and got a stupid dreamy look on his face like it was a fond memory. "But, I didn't like her being unhappy either."

"After this mess is over, I plan on making Bella happier than anyone in this world."

"Now there's another conversation. We need to discuss a few things regarding your relationship with Bella. Like the whole dead-to-not-dead ratio."

"I'm not talking about it with you. It's something Bella and I will mull over later," I said with finality.

"You know if you bite her, I'll have to kill you?"

I snorted. "I'm already dead, dog. But you can try."

Wrong thing to say. Jake began to tremble a bit before Sam yelled out, "It's Vegas, bitches!"

Maggie, their lovingly named GPS, called out over the bus speakers, "_You have arrived". _

The town was so different in the morning light than the craziness of the neon and harsh light bulbs at night. Sin City...

Sam pulled into the VIP corporate bus lot, found their spot, and parked the big behemoth like a pro. The air shocks deflated with a loud hiss, and the bus dipped down low. The big rig pulling Bella's car parked next to us, and Paul shut the engine off. He was shaking with laughter as he jumped out of the cab.

"Man, Jake. You almost wrecked the bus keeping those leeches from passing you guys!" Paul shouted into the bus. Paul and Seth had taken turns driving in the night like Jake and Sam had. "Let's go, I want the _what happens in Vegas_ part to start!

The taxi-vans began to show up to take us to the Bellagio hotel. The hotel was huge enough to where we never had to run into each other. I knew I had to meet up with my family, so I went in to wake up Bella after Jake shot me with a warning look. I had to keep myself from snorting out loud.

_Whatever, dude._

She was already awake and yawning. She blinked a couple of times and smacked her lips with a small frown.

"Fuck it. I don't care what my breath smells like, come smooch me. I know you've got to leave with your family, so I'll catch up with you later. Make sure our room is nice," Bella demanded.

I was there in a flash.

It wasn't _too_ bad...

I met up with my _family,_ and we got into our vans. Plural since there was luggage. A lot of luggage.

"Carlisle and Esme are going to meet us there," Alice said as we all settled in. "We have some things we need to discuss." She spoke with a smile in her voice, but her eyebrows were drawn together as if all her senses were at war. Alice really did have a hard time with her visions being thwarted while the wolves were near.

So, Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper would be spending the night at the tables, amassing more money for our bank accounts. Alice and Rosalie would be hitting the shows.

And, Esme... Esme Cullen had a gambling problem, in a very thrifty way, of course. Coming from modest means in the early 1900's, I knew she'd be hitting the penny and nickel machines, playing BINGO, and probably betting on the virtual ponies - simultaneously. The woman could consistently throw down some money when she wanted, in small but continuous increments.

Later on, after settled in our rooms, we met up downstairs. I couldn't help but laugh out loud when the two couples came out of the elevators.

Emmett punched me in the arm, cracked his knuckles, and got his game-face on. He had his sunglasses, toothpick, which wasn't going to last long, and his favorite red-neck trucker hat which read, _'C'mon and take a free ride', _sporting a picture of a naked girl swinging on a handle-bar mustache. His outfit was complete with a skin-tight T-shirt reading, _'PETA - People Eating Tasty Animals', _dark jeans and flip-flops. I smirked at the bright white toes and tops of his feet peeking out from the frayed hem of his pants. He looked like a college kid. Rosalie came out, surprisingly, in a long flowing halter dress and some shiny sandals. Her golden hair was swept up in messy, but artfully done, twisty thing. I don't know what you'd call it. They complimented each other very well.

Jasper, on the other hand, came out looking like Robert De Niro in a white suit, black button down, top buttons undone with no tie, and pointy-toed black cowboy boots. He had his hair slicked back in a ponytail, his war-era chops showing on the side of his face. He exuded the oily bo-hunk type to a tee, and he loved it. A flirty, air headed Alice was on his arm. All Jasper was missing was some serious ice around his neck and fingers. But where he didn't have it in him to wear bling, Alice did. It may have looked like she was wearing costume jewelry, but I knew better. The only thing missing with Alice was her popping some bubblegum. Her short green mini-dress clung to her diminutive figure, and she wore six-inch stilettos, giving her quite a bit of height and the illusion of a more grown-up look. Long extensions in her hair made her even more sophisticated. She had, after all, been turned as a teenager just like me.

They all smiled and were off in a flash; their floating thoughts beat at me - _Loosen up, Edward._

The constant coin clinking sound and the ding-ding-ding of the one armed bandits was too much. Too many gambler's dejected thoughts threatened to devour me in their desperate tidal waves of greed and depravity. The carpeting held the stale smoke of a million cigarettes with every step I took, and the blinking lights of the games meant to entice the human mind, repulsed me.

I had to get out of the casino. Bella was waiting for me, and I needed her quiet to soothe me; to find her and get away from this hellish place. Just then, a text popped up on my cell.

_**Meet me at the Speedway. I promise it will be fun**_**. - Trix**

Speak of the little devil...

_**I'm on my way**_**. - Speed**

**===Bella===**

A well placed thrill shot clean through me as I read Edward's text. While our relationship was littered with Volturi-shaped speed bumps, I still counted myself as lucky. If I could run them over like speed bumps, it would be nice. And, it was a bonus my ability to still breathe pissed Jane off to no end.

I planned on spending quite a bit of time today at the _Neon Garage_. Some called it the _Disneyland_ of the racing circuit. There was live music with some pretty awesome garage bands playing. The view from the floor-to-ceiling windows was incredible. You could see into the garages and Victory Lane, a huge stadium where the winner - me, of course - would drive in and celebrate with the crowds. There were video games galore, stores, and plenty of interactive activities.

I did some trinket shopping, and while off in a quiet, sectioned-off corner of some small gift shop, I was preoccupied with browsing through a wall of hanging sweatshirts for Charlie. Powerful arms wrapped themselves around my waist and pulled me flush against him. A strong body, hard as a rock, pushed up against my back, and I felt an unmistakably _happy to see me_ ridge rub up against my rump.

"What's in the bag?" Edward's timbre voice whispered in my ear, his chin buried in the crook of my neck. And since I was wearing a baby-doll tube top, there was plenty of skin exposed.

Delicious chills coiled deeply as he turned his face to suck at the sensitive flesh on top of my shoulder. "Oh, this and that," I replied. Edward didn't stop the suction until I dropped my shoulder down before he gave me a hickey.

He turned me around and backed us deep into the vertical rows of hoodies until we hit the wall. His body crowded out the light, and the thick cotton muted the sounds of the outside world cocooning us within the small to triple-X long sleeves.

"Anything for me?"

"Depends. Maybe I have a reward for you if you give me a lap dance later." I couldn't believe my boldness. Or maybe I could. We'd been far too intimate to not be able to say what was on mind; my dirty, shameless mind.

"Why wait?"

Edward hauled my leg up to his hip, and his lips found mine. Completely distracted and blinded by my smokin' hot vampire, I allowed myself to forget where we were. For a moment.

"Mommy? Why's there some feets under those clothes?" The loud muffled voice of a little girl broke through.

"Jilly, come here right now," came the answer from an alarmed mother.

"But Mommy, there's only three. See? One, two, three... where's the other one?"

The cherubic face of a little blond girl wearing glasses appeared next to Edward's hip. She couldn't have been more than four or five.

"Boo!"

Oh,God!

"Jilly, now!" her mother demanded.

The little girl took one look at Edward and smiled a smile so sweet, it was clear his ridiculously good looks wowed her even at her young age.

"I know how you feel, sweetheart," I mumbled just before her mother yanked her away.

Completely mortified, I dropped my foot down to the carpet.

Edward drew us out of our insulation with a leer and a wink.

"You're scandalous," I whispered. Now I had to do the walk of shame out of the store. Hoody be damned.

"Hey, aren't you Bella Swan?"

The click of cameras went off.

I groaned and hid my face in Edward's armpit.

"Can we have your autograph?"

After another hour or so of wandering around, we headed to the Hoover Dam. The seven-hundred, some odd feet structure was a living monument to the architectural brilliance of man, and it took many, many lives to build it over a five year period. At least that's what it said on one of the many plaques. Edward was totally humoring me as I stopped and read everything I could. What a gentleman he was.

We kept a low profile by wearing inconspicuous clothing. I had on my usual t-shirt, shorts, and my faithful hat. Edward wore a long sleeved shirt, a khaki boonie hat, and kept his hands stuffed in his pockets a lot. We were in the state of eternal sunshine, and I couldn't have my boyfriend sparkling brighter than Beyonce's wedding ring. I could see people getting a flash every now and again, but I knew they would chalk it up to some sort of reflective surface, a watch or the face of a cell phone. There's no way they'd know it was him.

"Nice hat," I teased.

"Can't have the ladies going all starry-eyed over my _coppery sex hair and sparkly sheen_, can we?" Edward waggled his eyebrows over his sunglasses at me.

"Oh please, I'm so over it. But you are totally rockin' the soccer dad look right now."

"Take that back." Edward covered his heart; mortally wounded like a Shakespeare tragedian.

"Nope." I slapped at his hand, laughing.

"Take that back, or I'll just have to... save us from this boring tour and find a closet to ravish you in."

I looked around. Hmm... no closets, so no go.

"Sorry, looks like we'll have to wait." I thought about it for a moment. "Let's get out of here and see what else there is around."

Edward took my hand and led us off to the rental car. We spent an amazing late afternoon, combing around the desert. We stopped at Red Rock Canyon and paid the fee to drive the thirteen mile loop. We got out and hiked around a while and found, surprisingly, scattered trickling waterfalls, pools of water, and beautiful desert flowers. Wildlife was in abundance on the Calico Hills trail, and you could see huge rams butting their horns together, either in a fight for one of the females, or maybe just to be playful.

"Oh look... fast food." I snorted at my own pun and pointed at the shaggy mountain goats.

Edward grabbed his belly and laughed. "You haven't seen anything until you've seen Emmett go head to head with one of those things. Have you ever seen the movie, _Michael, _where John Travolta goes out in a field and shouts, 'Challenge!' at a snorting bull, and they head butt?"

"Yes! I remember the part where he puts his hand over his heart, like a Roman, and yells at the bull, but I didn't remember what he said."

"Well, that's a lot like Emmett; only, Em eats the bull when he's done playing with it."

"Are you hungry?" I asked looking into his eyes to see if they were darker. They weren't.

"No, and I'm still not okay with you watching." He handed me a water bottle and sandwich from a pack we had been carrying, and chucked my nose briefly before settling me in front of him. I took a strong pull from the bottle, crinkling it as I drained it before coming up for air.

"You'd make a good vampire..." Edward accidentally observed out loud.

I felt him stiffen, as well as _felt _another part of him stiffen and press up against me.

"Why, because I sucked that water out in one fell swoop?"

Edward shrugged and tickled me a bit before settling down.

We laughed and teased easily, all the while enjoying each other's company. Strangely, I wasn't weirded out by Edward's statement. I wasn't really looking too far ahead since I'd only known him a couple of months. I mean, an eternity with him? And, since I knew Jake and the others aged extremely slowly, maybe... Frankly, I just wanted to relish every moment right now. Feel the speed under my tires, the heat of the engine roaring. I wasn't ready to make any life decisions.

When the sun began to set, Edward held me while we sat on a huge flat rock absorbing its heat under our backsides. I closed my eyes and lifted my face to the sun, breathing heavily through my nose. The sandstone rocks exploded into a myriad of colors as the reddish glow of the descending ball threw out its last bits of light. I must have dozed for a bit, because I woke with Edward carrying me to our rental car at a slow pace, his jacket wrapped around me.

He placed a kiss on my forehead before settling me into the passenger seat. We drove back the couple dozen miles to the Bellagio. We pulled into valet parking, tipped the driver a twenty, and made sure the concierge would take care of getting the car back to the rental outfit. Edward handed the woman a wad of cash as a gratuity for taking care of us. Money talks, especially in this town.

When we got off the elevator we were faced with gilded double doors to our private Villa suite. Edward slid the card into the security slot on the wall and opened the door to reveal the inside. Gorgeous. Every surface was covered with custom cut Italian marble. Dark mahogany woods gleamed in the muted overhead lights.

I slipped off my shoes and socks and wandered about. The bedroom was something straight out of _Coastal Living_ magazine. We were smack in the middle of the desert, but the room was alight with the cool aqua and pale sage of the Caribbean, with enough creamy white shams, Euro squares, bolsters and neck roll pillows piled on the softly draped bed to rest the head of any mermaid. The contrast with the dark wood furniture was dramatic.

The bathroom was incredible. Plush bath sheets hung from a heated rack, and his and hers robes were neatly folded and lying on the stone counter tops with a large silken bow wrapped around them. A sauna room beckoned for me to go in and enjoy its warm, cedar-lined cavern. The huge, sunken jacuzzi won out though, especially after the long day we'd had. The tub was comprised of Grecian tiles, smooth, yet imperfect. A curvy divan and shallow benches adorned the sides promising a comfortable place to soak. I wasted no time turning the knobs on each of the two dark scoop-shaped faucets on each side of the rim. An accompaniment of bath salts and oils were displayed on a mirrored tray sitting on a tiled ledge. I chose a pleasing scent and poured it under the rush of streaming water. The effervescent water churned and turned to a milky hue, causing a warm floral aroma to steam up into the now sultry air.

I dipped my fingers in the swirling liquid to test the heat and noticed Edward leaning up against the door jamb, arms crossed, and one leg kicked out over the other. He watched me fussing over the water, then perked up when I quietly stood and began to strip off my clothes. He smiled lazily and slowly lowered his arms until he hooked his thumbs into his belt loops.

"How about tit-for-tat?"

"How about tit-for-that?" I pointed to the convex in his jeans.

Edward took his time coming toward me slowly while letting his jeans fall to the ground, and pulling his shirt over the top of his head. Naked at last.

He wrapped his arms around me and bent me backwards in a sweeping kiss. His cool lips crouched to mine as he angled his head to gain more access. His cock thrummed against my stomach while he bowed me backwards so far, the tips of my hair draped into the fragrant water.

I returned his kiss with an enthusiastic fervor, entangled with all the love I possessed. Edward pulled us straight, his gentle hands reaching to cup my breasts. My nipples reacted to his coolness and puckered tightly while he culled them beneath his capable fingers. He brushed them with feather lightness drawing even more scintillated pleasure. It felt so sweet.

The ground tilted as he picked my up in his arms and stepped into the tub. He placed me on a shallow bench, letting the liquid heaven seep and soothe my muscles. I sighed in contentment with the warmth of the water as all the aches and pains of our hike from the day drifted away in the milky water.

"You have the most beautiful legs." Edward said, then spread them, tracing a lazy pattern up exactly where I wanted him to touch and massage me. I felt his fingers part the sensitive lips causing a jolt deep within my womb. He came to rest next to me, his amazing mouth caressed into my neck. The bladed scrape of his teeth and the lave of his tongue against my skin incited me further, ignited me further. A slight sting scattered across my flesh, then smoothed coolly with a rasp. Normally he kept his teeth safely from me.

Our bodies slipped against each other intensifying the slick pleasure. Edward smiled and moved down my body until he settled between the triangle of my legs. I gasped, clenching tight when he leaned forward, under water, and took me in his mouth. A lone languid finger pressed against my opening before sliding in, then added another to fill me full. Hot, wet bliss sang deep; he licked lazily at my clit with tiny flicks, then exquisite circles. I held onto his darkened hair for dear life as I spilled over into the purest and most primal orgasm a girl could feel while her lover made love to her with his tongue.

He rose to stand after I stilled and let go of the choke-hold I had on his roots. His body gleamed as the water sluiced down his torso, his thick erection jutting out from the spare nest of curls. He let me stare while he stood with a smug male satisfaction stamped on his gorgeous face. I was pulled from my lust induced trance when Edward guided me to come stand in front of him. He turned me toward the edge of the pool, the tiles, warmed from the bath, abraded deliciously against my stomach and breasts. I turned my head to the side and watched as he palmed himself, making a few passes across the turgid length. He began to feed himself into me, centimeters at first, then the inches until he was hilted. It almost felt as if he filled me to my throat. Distilled lust shot from the tip of his pulsating cock up the center of my back, and hitched itself deep in my brain.

"Jesus, God, Edward." I was surprised I could even say anything given the insides of my mouth felt like ten pounds of lead. He shuttled in and out, out to the crest, in to the marrow. My right knee lifted up to rest on the tile while dark delight bloomed in my central nervous system. Completely short circuited.

Water tidaled over the flat edge with each push and pull of Edward's hips against mine. Each surge pushed him closer to his own end. I could tell by the throaty sounds ripping from his lips. His big hands enveloped my hips, speeding us up to a lunge. Three more thrusts and Edward buried himself, his venom flooding me, triggering another time-bending orgasm. We stilled in a huff of breath. He pulled out and turned me to sit back in the tub so we could finish our bath.

"Jesus, God, Edward?" Edward asked, soaping me up, paying a lot of attention to my nipples. "That's pretty good company."

"Yeah, well you were speaking in tongues to me a little bit ago."

Edward snorted then began to laugh in earnest. I could listen to him laugh, uninhibited, forever. It truly made him look carefree, more my age, and I cataloged this moment in my mind. We finished up and dried each other off languorously. Edward tucked me into bed, settled down, and flipped on the wide screen which opened up in the recessed wall. As I slipped into a dreamy bliss, I grabbed the remote he was rapid-fire hitting the up button on, and threw it across the room.

"Hey..." Then nothing.

Tomorrow brought uncertainty, and with it, maybe a finality. I felt something heavy simmering on the precipice of my conscience and hoped it didn't bode ill winds.

Besides, I had a race to win.

* * *

On a fun note, I am involved with TwifanUK, Viola Cornuta, and Rosabella75 as admins for the new Giggle/Snort Forums. Anyone who posts a story on the Giggle/Snort website will automatically get a thread over on the forums for their submitted story! So go join and get into a community who wants to just have fun, joke, snark, and be merry! See my profile for the details.

See ya next time! I won't take so long, I promise! xoxo - April


	20. The Checkered Flag

Full disclaimer - I make no money, just friends from my writing. My plot is my own, the names and similarities belong to the lucky duck, Mrs. Meyer.

**Announcements and the _coup de grâce_ at the end.**

* * *

**The Checkered Flag**

**_The grief that struck us deep_**

**_was the one who tore them all,_**

**_Now forever in history's keep_**

**_when the car slammed against the wall._**

**_Tire tread and asphalt embrace,_**

**_the pit crew worries and waits._**

**_Sweet, sweet sad sigh of the race_**

**_once the car reaches the pearly gates._**

**_...Unk._**

* * *

"What do we have here?" I asked more to myself than to the owner. The thick coverlet hung over my head like a tent, hot carbon dioxide replacing oxygen with every breath I took. Air didn't matter, my eyes were on the prize - Edward's trophy, stick shift, shifter knob, screw gun, the list was endless. And right now, it was nestled snug, pointing down, atop his sac.

"Are you talking to my dick or to me?"

"There's a difference?" I snorted at my joke and pulled the covers back onto my head like a nun's veil. Batting my eyelashes at him, I made some kissy noises then headed back down for some oxygen deprivation.

I teased and eased my way around his hips, firmly ignoring the cock in front of me filling up like one of those wacky waving inflatable men a business would put in their parking lots to get your attention. It began to fill, move to the left, then completely point due North. Then he flexed it. And a fresh fit of giggles took over.

"Can you hand me the hair tie on the bedside table, please?"

A hand quickly shoved my the elastic tie under the covers, stirring up a wave of fresh air at me. I banded my hair up to keep it out of the way, and out of my mouth, and went to work on just the top of Edward's dick. Just the top so he would squirm. And squirm he did; growled, flexed his hips, tried several maneuvers a male stripper would be proud to use, then finally settled on grabbing my pony tail and guiding me slowly. With every movement, my nipples glided over the tops of his thighs, earning more delectable sounds falling from his very talented mouth.

"Enough, Bella. I want to be in you, now."

He didn't stop the bunching of his hips immediately and went for a few more passes before releasing his hold on my pony tail. Already turned on from my undercover blow job, I shimmied up his body, out of the covers, and impaled myself all the way to the hair line. I rode him, slamming myself down over and over while he worked one nipple with his mouth, sucking me in ever so carefully. The magical cords of pleasure shot keenly from my boobs to where we were joined, and my clit did a twitch rivaling a triple-air somersault with an Olympic landing._Ooh,_ it wouldn't be long now. Edward raised his lips to mine while I clutched the sides of his face and kissed him back with with every ounce of lust I was feeling, hoping he would fathom my desperate need to come right now. He understood my urgency and shifted his hips just perfectly so I hit his pubic bone.

_Jackpot! _

Right on the enchanted spot.

I fell over the edge riding him, never stopping at the cliff's edge, grinding until I felt the ripest, brightest bloom of my orgasm fade. But wait, what was this? Another began to rise on the heels of the first one. Edward held me to him while telling me all sorts of bawdy, naughty things he could be doing to me, and how much he would like me to wrap my pretty lips back around his cock and finish him off.

_I'd like that__,__ wouldn't I?_

"Yes, please," I whispered, "may I have another?" Then orgasmed again so hard I saw stars. Edward lifted us and laid me on my back none too gently, rearing up on his knees. I had the magnificent view of a lifetime. His powerful chest, the flexing of his abs, his arms straining with thinly controlled effort at my sides. I circled his hips with my legs and met him stroke for stroke until he held me still and plunged deep as his cock nudged up and swelled . He was amazingly beautiful when he came, his head tilted forward in concentration, eyebrows drawn together, lips tight until his body came to a halt.

Edward leaned down to give me a kiss and pulled me on top of him along with the sheets over us. I sighed contentedly while he stroked my hair and snuggled in for a cat nap before having to get up.

_Boom! _

"No, no, no, no!" Pushing the covers off and grabbing my robe, I ran to the window. "This is bad!" Clouds loomed fat with the blustery threat of rain. They appeared low and so close, I could have reached through the glass and ran my fingers through them.

_Crack!_

I jumped back from the window and hugged the lapels of my robe closer to my neck and face. Another retina searing zig of light fragmented the air. I felt the ozone charge, and the hairs stood up on my arms as the rumbles followed on the heels of the light show. Today was going to be a bad hair day, or maybe just a bad day.

"Damn it! Didn't anyone check the weather? It was fine yesterday."

Edward recovered the remote from across the room where I'd thrown it last night. He tuned it to the local news just as some bouncy brunette named Kari Ann was announcing the forecast.

_There's an eighty-percent chance of rain with a high of a stifling ninety degrees. With those heavy thunder clouds hanging over Vegas, you're going to feel the high humidity, maybe even a little electricity. It's unusual weather out there, folks; be sure to grab your umbrella before leaving your house today._

_Thank you, Kari Ann. Would you say those clouds might make for an interesting day at the Las Vegas Speedway?_

_"I would say so, Bob. Yes__,__ racing fans, what you thought __were__ tickets for a oval track race just might turn into tickets for a drift show." _

Oh no, she just didn't. Kari Ann would have to die.

"I would say so, Bob," I snidely mimicked the clearly high weather bunny. "Did she just compare my American steel to some imported rice-burner of a car?"

"It will be fine, Bella." Edward came out of the next room wheeling a dining cart. "I called room service before we, uh, had the morning were still asleep." He lifted the lids on the various silver service platters. Bacon, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, croissants, and lots of fresh fruits all crooked their little glut fingers at me. And, a ornate, shiny silver, halo-ringed, coffee pot shone like the missing sun.

My nose twitched. I hadn't even noticed him leave the room, let alone heard the knock of the bellman. But who cares?

_Coffee? You have... coffee? _Will this love affair with burnt beans ever end?

"I hope you're right. Can we call Alice?" I asked, hopeful while I grabbed some bacon. Extra crispy-before-ashes, just the way I liked it.

"I already did. She says her _thinker's _broken and blames the dogs. She says they're too close to you, which makes it impossible to see much."

"She can't even predict the weather right now? What's wrong with her?"

Edward made a snorting sound in the back of his throat, and he grinned again. "Bella, we don't know _what's _wrong with her."

Dejected, I sat down and half drank, half dialysized the coffee Edward poured for me.

Edward sighed, sat next to me, and looked into my eyes, once he could see them over the ceramic rim. "It's really going to be okay."

"The Volturi are coming. I can't shake the feeling."

"Maybe we should call off the race. We could use the weather as an excuse."

"No." I set my mostly finished coffee on its paper coaster, and turned to him. "I'm not trying to go all Alice fortune-cookie about this, but whatever will be, will be. I feel I have to meet it head on."

The unsaid Jane-word hung like a fat, suspended rain drop waiting to be unleashed on the world.

"The saving grace will be the Volturi's need for secrecy. For them to publicly show themselves, or cause a scene, would go against everything they've fought for to keep peace and order in vampire society. They would appear hypocritical; one thing Aro would never stand for no matter Jane's status with him. Unless she's gone rogue, nothing's going to happen. Plus with your crew there today, they wouldn't dare risk it."

"Speaking of Jane, we need to talk about what happened in Sonoma. You were obviously being baked to a crispy, crackly crunch, but when I touched you, everything changed. Am I going all Vishous?"

Edward's head did a double-snap back, his eyebrows slashing low. "Are you talking about that faggotty vampire with the glowing hand?"

_Edward just said faggotty - _which earned him a chuckle. Except, you don't mess with the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Just. Don't.

"I knew it! You've been sneaking peeks at Rosie's smut books! I saw them on the bookshelves back in Forks."

"Well, jeez, Bella. I do have an inordinate amount of time on my hands."

I waved my hand limply and lisped, "Girlfriend, we'll have to start an Oprah book club!"

As I dissolved in another fit of giggles, Edward grabbed my hand and put it to his crotch. "Does this feel like your girlfriend?"

Ghostly fingers made a fist low in my belly. "No, feels all boyfriend." I kept my hand over his swelling fly, mouth suddenly dry.

_Don't look him in the eyes. Don't look him in the eyes. _

_Dammit! _I looked_._

Edward's eyes were darkening as he swooped in for a kiss. "Mmm... masticated pork and coffee," he said when he pulled back.

"What? That's where you draw the line?" I laughed good-naturedly, but the mood was effectively broken.

A stray thought entered my mind. "Do you think the Volturi might want to _collect _me? You said they collect people with talents."

Edward didn't speak for a moment as if collecting his thoughts. "Carlisle wants to consult with Eleazar, a vampire who can sense what powers people possess, both mortal and immortal alike. We're pretty sure you are some kind of shield." He stopped to gauge my reaction. I waited patiently for him to go on. "When you touched me, Jane's ability to cause pain stopped. Thank you for that, by the way. And, the bonus is her powers don't seem to work on you or the wolves."

"But who's going to stop Aro if he finds out about me? Isn't he like your king or something? I know the wolves have to listen to Jacob since he's the Alpha of the pack. Is it the same for you guys?"

He hugged me to him. "For one thing, honey, you are way too public for him to snatch you away. It would be like kidnapping the Lincoln Memorial, someone's bound to notice. And, two, no we aren't compelled by him to do what he says; however, Aro has plenty of mental-muscle for just making us heel, namely Chelsea, and lots of monkey-muscle where the brains fall short. Chelsea can manipulate the mind of the victims to do whatever Aro wants them to. But, I doubt she can control the masses on a full scale."

"Did you just compare me to a man with a beard and huge face blemish?"

"Glad to see you can keep a sense of humor about you." Edward drew his eyebrows together, in his adorable way, then smiled. "I tell you Aro has minions to do his bidding, and all you hear is Old Honest Abe's facial road-bumps?"

"Well, it's a laugh or cry situation, and I don't feel like crying. So, what about the other two, Marco and Polo, or whoever?"

"Marcus and Caius. They are indifferent to just about everyone; seen it all, done it all, and so old, nothing holds any interest for them anymore. Aro still retains his unrelenting fascination with anything out of the ordinary. He seems to never have lost the drive to seek out entertainment."

"Okay, got it. Mariachi and Crockett fart dust," I ticked off on my fingers, "and Aro-gant gets off on any persons of interest."

"Yes," Edward's lips twitched to keep from smiling, "I suppose if they could fart, it would be dust."

"Ha! All you heard was fart?" I turned the tables on him.

"Touché, brat."

I heard the vibration of an incoming text buried somewhere in my bag. "It's going to be Jake." I moved off the couch and got the phone. Quickly scanning the message to get my _ass in gear_, I texted back letting him know I'd be about fifteen minutes. "I've got to get a quick shower and get out of here."

"You know, 'Jake' is the most used name for a dog."

"Well, maybe you should tell him the next time you see him."

Edward actually looked like he relished the thought before composing himself into his rigid vampire-boy persona.

"I suppose I should call Carl..." His cell went off. We looked at each other with a nervous laugh. Then the smiles faded as realization reared its ugly viper head and struck.

We took a deep breath, tossed our phones and met in the middle of the suite. Edward put his hands on the side of my face as I wrapped my arms around his waist. The kiss was searing, if not desperate.

"Bella, I love you so very much," Edward breathed into my mouth.

I disentangled from Edward with a laugh, wiggled my fingers at him all hoo-doo style and headed for the shower, but before I got to the door, I looked over my shoulder, winked and asked, "You coming?"

He was already shooing me into the bathroom.

_Let the good times roll._

* * *

So far the sky held tight, the air charged and thick with precipitation, but still nothing. I was thankful. Looking up at the gunnite sky and taking in a lungful of pungent, water-laden air, I pulled the cowl over my head before securing my helmet. Leah led me into the car through the window and helped me strap my body into the harness system. She handed me my steering wheel to put on the column, smacked me on the helmet and gave me the thumbs up. I flicked the button ignitions and felt the power thrum and rumble straight into my chest and thighs, trip down my spine and out through my toes. With this much torque grumbling and begging me to put the pedal to the metal, I was hard pressed to not do exactly what the 700 horses were whinnying at me to do.

We began our jockey to the starting line, with the teams pushing the race cars in to position. With sweat already dripping in between my remarkably strapped-in armored boobs, I waited for the flag.

There it was, the green flag waving like a giant dollar bill. Lots of dollar bills, in fact. Lots and lots.

"Go, go, go!" Jake yelled into the com._ No need to bark at me three times, pooch._ I smashed on the gas, shifted and was off.

The race began smoothly while the Vegas crowd went berserk. Brilliant flashes glittered and winked, creeping along the crowd in a wave, as every possible type of camera shuttered and clicked away.

Almost immediately the heat coming through the alloy of the fire-wall began to warm through my heavy Nomex suit, bringing the temperature closer to a nasty one hundred degrees. Thrills coiled and laced through my bottomed-out stomach as I negotiated the many twists and turns of the speedway. The thrust pulled at my limbs, flattening my body into the seat with a constant two-G push, making them feel as if they weighed six hundred pounds.

Fifty laps in, I noticed one certain car stayed immediately behind me, never trying to pass. It stayed in my draft, but didn't ever try to sling-shot around me. A feeling of dread washed through my already battered brain and body. Constantly thinking ahead around the next turn, discarding and deciding on possible tactics, I concluded it was time for some evasive maneuvers.

My chance came when I saw a part in the sea of bumpers in front of me. I'd been chasing Edward's car for several laps now, always keeping him in my sights. I checked my rear view mirror for a fraction of a second noting the position of the peculiar acting car.

"Bella, watch # 20. He's right up your ass!" Jake warned.

I felt the distinctive thump as the son of a bitch pushed against my back bumper causing my front end to go loose on me suddenly.

_What the fuck is this guy's problem?_

_It's not racing unless you're rubbing... _my ass!

"I don't think so, asshole!" I righted my car by turning into the slide, remembering not to oversteer; I straightened just in time as another bump-n-rub hit me again. The bank loomed tall and greeted me like a giant cementious grim reaper ready to swaddle my car in chunks of concrete and heavy iron re-bar.

_Hello, wall._

I braced for the inevitable, but nothing could prepare me for the force of the crash. Thank God for all my gear. But, it didn't stop all the damage. I felt the bones of my legs snap and separate, before the pain actually hit, then nothing as the car tangled and twisted, the sound of the body rending too horrible to imagine. Powerless to stop, the framework buckled under the horrendous pressure of flipping end over end, pinning me, crushing me until I couldn't breath. In rapid succession, I saw my crazy mother, my kind-hearted, soft-spoken dad, my crew, then Edward.

_Edward! _

I fought to hold on to consciousness, but my lungs weren't working properly. I briefly saw the clouds open up and begin their watery assault as I was hauled out of the wreckage by Edward. He drew my helmet off as my field of vision began to narrow just before someone turned out the lights.

_Well, at least I missed the rain._

* * *

I woke in a drugged haze, machines pumping and whirring beside my bed. I tried to lift an arm, but it felt full of sand. Fresh pain burst in my skull when I tried to move my head to look around. I tried to breath through the pain but only wheezed. Edward was there in an instant holding my hand, but I couldn't feel him. I couldn't feel any of my extremities. I couldn't speak because of the breathing tube in my throat. Beginning to panic, my eyes welled up in pure confusion. Why couldn't I feel anything?

"Bella, honey, it's okay. You were in a crash at the speedway, and now you're in Summerlin hospital."

_What? _I don't remember a crash.

"Don't try to move; you can't talk because you have a breathing tube in to help with your oxygen intake." Edward moved closer. The look on his face wasn't very telling. He gave nothing away. "We want you to conserve your energy right now." Still no emotion. Dead. That was telling.

An RN, who introduced herself as Angela, told me she was my primary nurse and I was her only patient. She instructed me to take deeper and longer breaths so my blood oxygen level could get high enough to take out the breathing tube. Edward gave me words of encouragement to keep inhaling deeper while minding the screen showing my progress. I struggled to take the necessary breaths and would have laughed at the absurdity of the situation if I could. He sounded more like he was some kind of Lamaze coach telling me to breathe. Machines monitoring my heart and blood pressure continued to blip and beep away at their tune while Angela adjusted the array of hanging bags drip-dripping medicine into yards of clear silicone vines feeding into my skin and veins. There were so many.

"Your dad and mom have already been here today to see you, as well as the your crew and my family. Carlisle is consulting with your doctor right now." Now Edward did frown.

I tried to talk to him with my eyes, let him know I was scared, but I was beginning to feel the pull of oblivion and had no energy left to fight. I'd just take a little nap and feel better when I woke up again.

I was sure.

* * *

One day later.

I was wrong.

* * *

One week later.

Not much progress, but at least they'd taken the damned breathing tube out. Edward was still at my side; his hair a mess and not in the good way. He'd leave long enough to change clothing to appear normal and pretend to sleep in the bed the staff set up next to mine. I knew he'd need to hunt soon, but he refused to leave, so Alice brought him animal blood they'd hunted disguised in a thermal coffee mug. I had a hard time speaking at first because my ribs were still healing, so he told me about the crash since I couldn't remember any part of it. Missing a memory was an odd sensation, quite like a CD with a deep scratch causing it to skip the bad parts. My doctor, as well as Carlisle, confirmed the recollections might never come back, and from the sound of it, I wasn't so sure I wanted to re-live the wreck anyway.

Edward told me Jane had Demetri kill and pose as the driver of car #20 so he could come after me. In his racing suit and helmet, no one was the wiser until it was too late. The local police chalked the episode up to poor security and a fanatical man stalking me. They couldn't figure out how the murderer had gotten away, and a manhunt was still on. Jane and Demetri were pursued by Edward's family and the wolves when it was safe to do outside of prying eyes and both were executed. Felix had excused himself and gone back to Italy before any of this happened, but he was unable to roust any support from Aro to come back and get the rogue vampires under control. They had messed in their nest one too may times.

The Cullens falsified evidence and thought of everything down to the last hair left for the Las Vegas CSI team to puzzle over. Charlie also believed the whole fabrication as well since there was no other valid explanation. I hated the deception played on him, but he didn't need to know the real truth, at least not right now.

Thankful the threat of Jane was finally gone after weeks of terror, I had other issues to contend with now.

"Tell me the truth, Speed. I'm not going to get better, am I?"

Edward's brave mask fell. "No, not without divine intervention. Or..." I knew he was alluding towards changing me.

My legs were battered beyond much repair, and my cervical spine had severe trauma. I was looking at many, many surgeries with no guarantee of any kind. I would never race again.

_Who was I kidding, I'd never walk again._

I thought hard about it, but not for long. "You could be my miracle."

"Are you sure?" He looked hopeful, the first real sign of emotion. "We've cleared it with the wolves. They want you better and back with them despite what you'd become. We promised we'd take you far away for a while for a prolonged recovery while you adjust to the newborn life."

"Will it hurt much?" I wasn't going to lie, I was frightened of the pain. "Will it fix me?"

"Yes on both counts, and we will do everything we can to make you comfortable. Carlisle is arranging for you to be transported to Anchorage Regional Hospital, where we can have you discharged into our care for rehabilitation."

Edward lifted my useless hands and kissed them. "I thought I was going to lose you. It was more than I could bear. I couldn't stop Jane from hurting you."

He blamed himself for everything. My heart broke for him.

"Edward, I don't think anyone could have stopped her. She played dirty, but in the end, _she lost_. I'm still breathing." I chuckled. He didn't see the humor in it.

The next day, I was transported by helicopter all the way to Alaska, paid for by the Cullen Trust. Events flew by in a flash until I was in the Cullens' home, snug in a hospital bed set up for my comfort.

* * *

I never felt the bite.

Not until a few minutes later when fire and swords rained down on me as Edward's venom raced along my veins repairing me, killing me.

* * *

I blinked my eyes, wiggled my fingers and toes then sat straight up. Everyone was staring at me expectantly, including Jacob and the rest of the pack. The Cullens weren't afraid of me going all _newborn _on them; this was old hat to them, but, to be on the safe side, they hovered for a while. Still, Edward's family respectfully hung back so my best friend could have first dibs. Jake sidled up to gave me a huge hug, then I waited patiently while every pack and family member took their turn checking me out or hugging me. Paul and Sam held back, clearly at odds with the situation. When Leah came up she stared at me for a while before wrinkling her nose.

"You smell," she smiled, "but, I'd rather have you back and stinky than watch you dry up in a wheel chair. I wasn't about to cart your ass around."

I playfully smacked her in the shoulder and sent her flying back a couple of feet. She growled at me but came right back. We hugged tightly, sisterly, very carefully.

I had yet to stand as everyone kept me from getting out of bed. Edward disappeared for a moment then brought back blood to help ease me. He was sure I must be starving, but I wasn't. Not really. It was a little discomfiting to have someone bring me blood in a thermal cup, but at the same time, it didn't seem unnatural either. The pack said their goodbyes with the promise to keep in touch. They didn't want to see me drink blood for the first time, or anytime for that matter, as opposed to Emmett who wanted to stay and watch me guzzle. Edward growled at him, and Em put his hands up in mock defeat. Grabbing Rosalie up, they left along the rest of the family to give us some privacy.

"Sheez, breakfast in bed! How do I rate?" I teased putting the cup to my lips. The taste was incredible. The delicacy hung heavy on my tongue, coating my palate with bittersweet flavors. I tasted the outdoors, the wind, the water; savored every last drop and almost licked the sides of the metal cup until I remembered my manners. At least I didn't feel any sort of crazed frenzy like Edward had described.

"You rate at the top of my list." Edward kissed my forehead. "Shall we get you dressed and out and about?"

"Sounds wonderful to me." The gown I was wearing was less than pristine, and I needed to move. I hadn't been out of a hospital bed for a long time.

Edward brought a change of clothes for me get in to. I moved off the bed and felt my feet hit the floor, solidly. _Oh my God _- I felt like jumping, like flying, like floating. I could walk and swing my arms... right into an expensive wooden wall.

_Oops_. "Sorry."

A chuckle came from the corner of the room where Edward retreated. "It's nothing, love."

The rush of power was intoxicating, colors were in high definition, scant scents became pungent; the easy distraction of particles floating in the air. I held my hands up to inspect my new skin. Edward came to stand in front of me and took my hands in his and kissed them like he had in the hospital before we left for Alaska. His fingers slid up my arms, and he snuggled me into his frame. I was positively humming with excitement when he let go. An energy settled in and itched up my spine; I needed something.

Recognizing my growing agitation, he made tatters of the offensive gown, rending the thin fabric easily, greedily. I was bare to his darkening gaze, and a fire kindled in my belly as I watched him stride around me, inspecting as he went. Leonine. His grace stunned me into silence.

His hands, now warm to the touch, hurtled me into arousal.

Dropping to his knees in front of me, he reverently traced each faint, silver-skin scar now flat with healing on my legs; kissed every inch until he reached the vee in between. I cried out with unrestrained pleasure when he dropped his lips to the very top of my pubic bone, then parted the lips there and touched his tongue, just the tip of it, against my clit. I fragmented in an instant, holding onto his hair for dear life while he licked every nook and fold. Raw power surged, igniting every cell of my body into an inferno until the climax quickened, then receded. Edward continued to rub his face along the inside of my thighs, breathing deeply, enjoying himself for a few minutes before untangling my fingers from his fire-burn locks and leaning back to look up at me with his crooked little grin.

"Let's get you into those clothes." Edward began to dress me in a pair of skimpy - thank you, Rosalie - panties, but decided to forego the pretty bra, almost to his dismay. He wanted to be quick and efficient, but I kept foiling him at each turn when he tried to help me zip the jeans up. They were artificially worn and so comfy, I couldn't stop running my palms along the tops of my thighs relishing the cottony softness. The muscles underneath weren't too bad either. He had a hard time getting me to lift my arms long enough to put my t-shirt on because I couldn't stop feeling my own legs up. Once the shirt was on, I looked down at the thin fabric and read it. Oh, my, God! It had to be Emmett. The shirt was white with artfully placed blood splatters across the front and read, "Don't Worry. It's Not My Blood."

_Look Ma, no nipples._ I laughed out loud. "I told you I wouldn't need that contraption binding me." Em was so sweet to think of me. Last touch was putting socks and shoes on, which I was compliant for, except when Edward pulled the socks up. It tickled. Oh, and when he put the shoes on. And, when he double-knotted them...

Edward wore a look of exasperation but smiled over my silliness. Jesus, if I thought Edward could be any more sexy than that moment, I would have keeled over. I suddenly wanted him all over again. _Compulsive much? _

A predatory need suddenly infiltrated my senses, overriding even my lust. I felt the overwhelming urge to hunt as a tickle simmered in my throat and tingled on the sides of my jaw and tongue, not unlike eating a sour candy or licking a nine-volt battery.

"Can we go outside now?" I nearly snarled. My hands flew over my mouth in shock. Was that my voice?

Again, he flashed me his grin and held his hand out. "Do you mean you want to go and play outdoors?"

I grabbed onto his hand pulling him out to the backyard, and we took off at a dead run. As corny as it sounds, running felt therapeutic, very freeing, and Edward kept time with me easily. After many, many miles I began to feel just like I did when I was hungry as a human, and I almost expected my tummy to start growling.

The forest was vast and thick enough to get lost in forever, or until I smelled something delicious and began running in its direction. I found I lacked the heart to kill. Edward had to open the buck's warm throat for me, peeling back the hide. The call of his blood was as heady as the majestic Sitka trees. Weird part was I didn't mind sinking my now blade-sharp teeth into its neck, but I didn't have a killer's instinct. I held the animal tight in my grip, one hand over its chest, feeling the heartbeat stutter and wane.

When I finished, I found Edward sitting close by against a tree with his wrists crossed over a propped knee. His face was ramped and feral, his jaw clenched and ticking, and I swear his entire frame seemed to grow larger. The scent he threw captivated and thrilled me, and the way he was watching me, his serpentine eyes tracking my every move like a cobra, was a loud-and-clear indication of how turned on he was. That, and the growing hill in his pants.

God help me. His scent, his strength, his beauty, his huge... capacity to love me and my quirks sent me spinning. My body thrilled to the thought of how we could make love with no boundaries, no holding back, no hiding of his teeth. I suddenly wanted, needed his teeth deep in my skin, lips moving over me, his hips driving between my thighs, his body pinning mine to the earth.

Coyly, I asked, "aren't you going to hunt?"

He moved to stand, swatting absently at his backside to dust off the dirt with both hands. Leisurely strolling, swaggering, stalking toward me, head tilted down in a seductively dangerous stare, he said one word.

"Run."

* * *

**The Checkered Flag**

* * *

My race has come to an end and I have a tractor bucket load of thank you's to dole out.

**To all my reviewers, Thank you so much for sticking this out with me! I know I updated so sporadically it's ridiculous, I'm lucky to have all of you! Much smooshy kisses to you all.**

**EJ Santry**. Without her, I never would have started this. Her subtle pushes and help were immeasurable. I appreciate the help you gave me in the beginning.

**Viola Cornuta**. Your grace with the red pen, your unconditional love and friendship, and your uncontrolled love for these characters have helped to make me see this out when it would have been easier to just stop. You deserve all of the beta awards as far as I'm concerned. Thank you for your ability to corral the commas, slap the sillies, paddle the 'thats' out of me, and grapple my grammar.

**Rowan Moon**. Your gorgeous words of encouragement, your feeding of my ego, your loving friendship have carried me over many a days. I find it is hard for me to word everything I need to say to you. Thank you for being my damsel in shining armor.

**Merf**. You beautiful woman. Thank you for your encouragement. I'm sorry to see you less in the fandom, but huge understanding abounds! You , are so loved!

**Winterstale**. I'm so proud to know you. Your words, your actions, your willingness to make me rake and cactus banners are proof of how much you love me and keep me laughing. Hold true to your own beliefs in this fandom.

**RosaBella75**. You stunning, giggling woman you. You are such a bright spot in my life, always!

**TwiliteAddict**. Thank you for not letting me dance alone. You are awesome and have a beautiful view on Carlisle and Esme. I value our friendship so much and the pictures posted on Twilighted.

**TwifanUK**. My partner in crimes yet to be discovered. My Giggle/Snorter friend and love. I have all the confidence in the world in your talents. Huge smooches to your apple cheeks!

Aaand,

**Goldenmeadow**. What to say? Without you and your Deddie, I wouldn't know any of these beautiful women, let alone meet them. Thank you so much for your in-your-face kindness/honesty, ability to make me strive to be better, and always telling me to dew eet! I love you more and more with every breath.


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